Voices of Chernobyl: The Women Who Cooked for Clean-Up Crews

Thu, 07 May 2026 03:29:00 +0200

Forty years after the Chernobyl disaster, a lesser-known story emerges about the women from Ukraine’s Rivne Nuclear Power Plant who were sent to cook for the clean-up workers at the stricken facility. Initially unaware of the accident, they were sent hundreds of miles east to prepare meals in a dangerous, abandoned area. These women endured radiation exposure and long-term health problems, though their distance from the reactor mitigated some risk. The canteen was a focal point of fear and contamination, with dosimeters constantly signaling the presence of radiation. Despite being provided with high-quality meats, dairy, and fruit intended to sustain the workers, much of the food was wasted or contaminated. Some women resorted to smuggling food to keep it from being consumed by those who might be harmed. Decades later, survivors like Valentina continue to fight for the special pensions promised to them. Their experiences reveal the human side of disaster response, highlighting both cou