Anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster

COMM UNIAN ARCHIVE Major-General of Interior Troops Leonid Telyatnikov, who headed liquidation of the fire at Chornobyl reactor after the explosion in April 1986, at an official reception with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in London, after he was decorated with British award “For courage and philanthropy”, March 5, 1986. His troops took upon themselves the main blow of the most terrible man-caused disaster of the 20-th century. At that time Telyatnikov was the chief of military fire prevention of Chornobyl nuclear-power station. Telyatnikov himself and his subordinates have ascended to the roof the fourth power-generating unit of Chornobyl reactor more than once to prevent the fire spreading on other roofs. The honoured Kiev citizen, hero of the USSR Leonid Telyatnikov died on December 2, 2004. Photo is given by Telyatnikov’s family / UNIAN