See also: Tchernobyl (homonymy)

Tchernobyl (in Ukrainian Чорнобиль, Tchornobyl , in Russian Чернобыль, Tchernobyl ) is a city located in Ukraine and at approximately 130 km in the north of Kiev (the Nuclear plant Lénine being to 20 km of Tchernobyl). It is known for the catastrophe with the Nuclear plant of Tchernobyl which took place the April 26th 1986, caused by the fusion of the engine, although the city nearest is Pripiat (currently uninhabited, contrary to Tchernobyl).

Its name makes up of two adjectives which evoke the two faces of this city in be (tcherno) and in Hiver (byl).

• tcherno comes from the adjective чëрное = black, because the ground located around Tchernobyl east of tchernoziom (чернозëм), very black and very fertile ground;
• byl comes from the adjective бéлое = white, as the color of the snow which recovers tchernoziom during the long winter months.

The name means also Armoise (Russian полынь), which is the name of the kind of which the plant of wormwood forms part.

Since the catastrophe, the recent buildings (years 1970-1980) of the center town were decontaminated to allow the housing of the workmen of the power station (approximately 5.000). The particular houses of the old city are left with the abandonment. The vegetation recovers them little by little and gives a phantom impression of city. The town of Tchernobyl east still “inhabited” but in a quite particular way since the minors and the expectant mothers or in age to procreate are not authorized there.

Geography of the site

The site of the catastrophe is at the north of the enormous Ukrainian plate; in this area (Kiev including) the roadbase of the ground is consituée mainly of a dark sand. Vast forests of conifers alternate with large grassy meadows. Since the catastrophe, zones were defined around the site. A first perimeter, whose ray is worth a hundred kilometers, would be prohibited with the dwellings but of many people still live there. The closed area , of a radius of 30 kilometers, is kept with its accesses by the milizia , is armed and accompanied by dogs. Through the countryside, a way skirts the perimeter. Since outside, it is initially a barbed fence on concrete posts of approximately 2m20 top. Then comes the way, follow-up of a ditch then of another fence, more maintained this one, then of a break of a score of meters broad.

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