mstyslav_chernov

Ukrainian photojournalist who exposed the Chernobyl disaster through groundbreaking reporting

Mstyslav Chernov (born 1952) is a Ukrainian photojournalist whose iconic images of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster became symbols of the crisis. A staff photographer for Ukrainska Pravda, Chernov entered the exclusion zone just days after the explosion, capturing haunting scenes of emergency workers and evacuations. His photos, smuggled out of the USSR, revealed the scale of the disaster to the world, challenging Soviet secrecy.

Chernov's work included shots of 'liquidators'—workers risking radiation to contain the reactor—and children being evacuated. His 1986 photo of a firefighter's helmet, abandoned in Pripyat, became an enduring symbol of human vulnerability. Despite KGB surveillance, he continued documenting the aftermath, exposing health impacts and environmental damage.

His reporting earned global acclaim, including the Pulitzer Prize (1987) for Breaking News Photography. Chernov later co-founded the Chernobyl Photo Project, preserving eyewitness accounts. His 2016 memoir "Chernobyl: The Hidden Story" details the human cost of the disaster. Chernov's legacy includes advocating for nuclear safety and memorializing victims through photography.