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Amidst the clean up of the infamous Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in April of 1986, the authorities discovered that the nuclear reactor was flooded with highly radioactive water. The steam from this volatile water was threatening to cause a massive explosion that would carry radioactive material and gas across a large portion of Europe, they needed to open the floodgates to release the pressure in the chamber and save a large part of Europe from nuclear fallout.
To drain the reactor someone would have to dive into the water and open the release valve by hand.; for anyone involved it meant a certain and painful death.
Three men volunteered, now unofficially known as the suicide squad, they didn’t ask for glory or riches, simply that once they passed their families would be looked after. And so three ordinary men, Valeri Bezpalov, Alexie Ananenko and Boris Baranov did an extraordinary thing, and dove into the depths of the reactor.
After the only lamp they had with them fell into the darkness, the three men felt their way towards the gate, and completed their grim mission by opening the valve.
Ten days later all three were buried in lead coffins.
Ukrainian Folklore tells the story of the Bogatyri, three valiant knights of old.
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