What was the name of that place where tons of radiation was leaked causing its residents to suffer from several illnesses that took many lives and the area should probably be avoided at all costs?

I’ll give you a hint:

 It’s not Chernobyl.

Located in the center of Russia, Ozersk is a blocked off city surrounded by barbed wire fences, armed guards and a sign telling anyone who crosses it that unless they have special permission to enter, stay away. And for good reason, too. 

This city doesn’t have the same historical recognition that Chernobyl does since its history holds many records of it being kept out of the public’s eyes. The Soviet Union constructed Ozersk in 1946 shortly after WW II in secret as it was home to Mayak, a nuclear complex also used to build nuclear weapons. Workers for the factory would go on to reside in the newly built city but in severe conditions. Officials did not want any information to be leaked (unlike the immense amounts of radiation), so those who were brought in to work at Mayak and forced to live in Ozersk were forbidden to leave or to have any contact with their families back home. This went on for seven years, with family members believing them to be missing. Additionally, those brought in to work there were unable to leave since the entire nuclear operation was top secret. During those seven years, the Soviet Union successfully created and tested their first plutonium bomb called “First Lightning”.

 Ozersk, which was also referred to as Chelyabinsk 40 and Chelyabinsk 65 in the past, was part of a collection of other cities hidden by the Russian government. Not only were their names changed many times, but for an unknown number of decades, these cities were removed from all maps until they were eventually shut down.

 In 1957, Ozersk went on to experience one of the worst nuclear accidents in history: The Kyshtym Disaster. The conditions of the facility were far more hazardous than a nuclear facility usually is without those in charge demanding workers to go faster. A water tank used to keep liquid reactor waste for the processing plant had been malfunctioning and failed to be repaired. On September 29th, after a year of the radioactive material heating up the tank, it reached a temperature of 350 degrees Celsius and exploded, contaminating the atmosphere over hundreds of miles. Evacuation took some time to get under way, and while the total number of deaths caused by the radioactive waste in the atmosphere is unknown, it is safe to say that in months following the disaster took many lives due to illnesses. 

 To put things in perspective, Chernobyl is listed as a Level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), whereas Kyshtym is listed as a Level 6.

 (Tip: When working in a facility that handles nuclear material, take your time and be aware of all possible precautions.) 

 Along with the entire city of Ozersk and the Mayak facility, the Kyshtym Disaster was also kept secret from the public, with no official government statement coming out after the explosion and the Western World only learning about it in 1976.

 The Kyshtym Disaster at the Mayak plant was obviously not the only sort of radioactive waste being thrown into the environment. From its creation, it has been dumping its waste into the lakes that stream down to the city of Ozersk, contaminating the air and damaging the health of all its workers. 

 Those living in the city after its creation were not living in completely horrible states. Compared to other populations in Russia, they had water, food, jobs and safe homes. In contrast to conditions outside of the nuclear city, the arrangements there were much better. Ozersk’s citizens are living with good schools for their children, opportunities to get different types of food other areas in Russia may not be able to obtain (such as bananas, which can be difficult to access) and beautiful scenery. It’s somewhat of a paradise for its residents.

 “Wait a minute, what did you mean by ‘are’?”

 That wasn’t a typo. Despite other cities being shut down (that is to our knowledge of course…*insert X-Files theme music here for dramatic effect*), Ozersk is still home to an estimated 100,000 people today. However, even with radiation in their water, food, air and themselves, few residents choose to leave the city despite having the option available to them. Their choices for life are either to: 1) Have access to loads of resources they won’t be able to get elsewhere but live in a city that is slowly killing them; or 2) Move out and start over where radioactive waste isn’t killing them everyday but they lack all the luxuries given to them before.

It does leave the question up in the air for those not living in a city filled to the top with toxicity, what would you choose?

Click here to learn more about the INES scale: https://www.iaea.org/resources/databases/international-nuclear-and-radiological-event-scale

Marie-Chantal Chamberland

Marie-Chantal/Marie/M-C is a reader, writer, Marvel fan, and is currently studying Professional Writing. Some of her interests include traveling, skating. learning about the past, baking, and hanging out with her dog.