#this is not a criticism of Korneyev

[remantsofthepastatchernobyl]

Hello, I am Hitesh Malviya, and relatively new to the world of content writing. Though just starting to be here, till now, I haven't had much experience, but I am looking forward to learning and discovering the world of writing. So, get ready, as through this blog I shall be sharing my thoughts and ideas as I grow and learn in this field.

The Chernobyl nuclear power station in northern Ukraine, near the town of Pripyat, then part of the Soviet Union, experienced the worst nuclear accident in history on April 26, 1986 when a routine safety test went awry. The explosion of Reactor 4 did not only unveil the intrinsic dangers of nuclear energy when mishandled but also flaws in the political and safety culture in the Soviet Union. The event still goes on to represent nuclear risk and human hubris around the globe.

Build-up to the Disaster

This was a Chernobyl plant having four reactors that were originally part of the Soviet RBMK reactor design. These reactors were intended basically for the generation of electricity and producing plutonium for the purpose of military use. Although RBMK reactors were highly capable in terms of producing power, a design flaw also existed with these reactors: they were inherently unstable at low power and more easily subject to overheating.

On the night of the accident, operators in the plant were testing Reactor 4 to determine how the plant would perform in the event of a blackout. They wanted to prove whether, under normal conditions, the reactor could continue generating sufficient power to force cooling water through the plant's water circulation systems until emergency generators could start. But this routine test eventually escalated into disaster as a result of poor design combined with a failure of communication between staff operating the plant and critical operational errors.

The Explosion

At about 1:23 AM, the reactor reached an unstable state with a high-power peak. The control rods-hered to slow down the reaction-were inserted too late. Instead of stabilizing the reactor, it peaked energy and caused a graphite fire that led to two explosions-a steam explosion followed by a graphite fire. The 1,000-ton roof of the reactor was lifted off, sending a massive cloud of radioactive material into the air.

The explosion released a great amount of radiation into the sky, and fires spread across the area, which further exposed the radioactive leakage. Iodine-131, cesium-137, and strontium-90 were released in large amounts and spread large parts of Europe.

Artur Korneyev's photo of the Elephant's Foot, 1996

Immediate Aftermath and Response

The authorities later tried to downplay the seriousness of the accident. Firefighters were rushed to tackle the fire, many not being fully aware of the extreme radiation they were being exposed to. These "liquidators," some of whom were pupils, became the first victims of Chernobyl, perishing in the days and weeks that followed from acute radiation sickness.

Even though there was a massive radiation leak, the town of Pripyat nearby, where workers of the plant and their families lived, wasn't evacuated immediately. It took 36 hours before the Soviet government started to evacuate the residents, having those already exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. During the following months, more than 350,000 people were relocated from the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

The world knew about this catastrophe when the level of radiation in Sweden increased so sharply that it exceeded levels 1,000 kilometers away. Long after such drama, Soviet authorities admitted to the full extent of the disaster.

The aftermath of Chernobyl brings with it disastrous and widespread consequences. Hordes of square kilometers are contaminated; until today, the area cannot be inhabited by anyone. Fallout causes an increased incidence of cancers, particularly thyroid cancer among children exposed to radioactive iodine.

And with respect to the environment, radioactive contamination led to an abandonment of expansive swaths of land. In the exclusion zone, wildlife has since thrived, unfettered by human activity, though radiation remains a factor in the ecosystem.

Politically, the Chernobyl disaster has become part of a story which led to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was not only the government's failure to respond appropriately and reveal all information, but it was also the secrecy surrounding this event that continue[d] to dismantle public trust in Soviet leadership. Internationally, it generated a great deal of anti-nuclear feeling, leading eventually to changes in nuclear safety procedures and culminating in the phase-out of nuclear power in several countries.

Legacy

Chernobyl has come to serve as a stark reminder of what goes wrong with nuclear power if safety measures are overlooked or not maintained. The miniseries "Chernobyl" that aired in 2019 ignited renewed interest in the sad and tragic event, a dramatized but yet informative account of what happened. The site is a poignant monument; to this very day, the sarcophagus that encases Reactor 4 is slowly decaying, whereas efforts are still under way to contain the radioactive core. Today, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is an almost absurd tourist destination, a stark reminder of the human mistake and nature's resilience.

[ballet-symphonie]

State of Male Dancers at MT

So I know I complain about how MT ignores their young male dancers a lot, there is exactly ONE (1) principal or first soloist under 30. And that's Kimin Kim, who's 29. They don't have a first soloist under 35! Aside from Caxieta who has departed, they've really only promoted two 'young' dancers (Nikita Korneyev and Roman Malyshev) who are 24 and 23 respectively. Even people like Roman Belyakov and Yevgeny Konovalov are now 28! Only a year younger than Kimin Kim!

There's an entire 'generation' of dancers already lost and they're slowly losing another one. Stepin should have been a principal a decade ago. There's honestly an argument for Alexander Sergeev as well. If they don't promote Stepin now that Xander is gone, Kolb is gone, and Ivanchenko has been basically retired for years...I don't even know what to say. Where is the money going?? (the answer is to Gergiev's beloved orchestra). Belyakov and Konovalov should have been first soloists for 4-5 years already. And there's a whole handful of young men who could have been coryphees or second soloists (or who knows, maybe even further) but have been given very very few chances. Why could not one of Tsiskardize's graduates get a promotion either?

It's insane how long it takes them to promote guys compared to the girls, like it took Yermakov FIFTEEN YEARS to get to principal. Nowadays, they promote the girls every other day. Since they've promoted him in 2019, they've promoted 1 woman to principal, 3 women to first soloist, and 2 others to second soloist. In that same amount of time, MT management only promoted 1 man (Caxieta, who's now gone) to first soloist and 1 to second soloist (Korneyev).

And trust me, I understand that it often takes guys longer to get out of the corps because men mature later. They're still growing and developing strength. But still, the situation doesn't look good. Right now, there's absolutely no setup for the future generation, there's no one being prepared to take over once Yermakov, Askerov, and Shklyarov retire. We see MT developing the next generation of girls (Khoreva, Bulanova, Iliushkina etc) but who's going to be around to partner them? Korneyev can't dance with each of them every night.