Chernobyl is the new prestige drama everybody is talking about, with the real life events bringing the sort of terror fiction could never emulate.
History buffs have been engrossed by the depictions of Soviet Ukraine at the time of the 1986 nuclear disaster, with repression and fear permeating through every scene.
This mini-series has attracted those with an eye for detail and a fascination with the how and why this catastrophic accident unfolded. And every scene so far has been scrutinized.
Such eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a ‘time capsule from the future’ during a scene in episode four, in the form of a memorial dedicated to the Chernobyl liquidators who risked their lives and health to protect others.
This memorial – which was erected to mark the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl – was noticed by Sergey Doda, himself a resident of Kyiv, Ukraine.
Posting a picture of the frame in question on Facebook – with the out-of-place memorial circled in red – Sergey remarked:
Interesting moment in the 4 Series of the series “Chernobyl”.
In the frame monument to the liquidators of the Chernobyl Disaster (‘s)
As reported by the Ukrainian daily newspaper, Fakty i Kommentarii, the monument was made by the ‘Artist’ industrial complex, and was erected in the Goloseevsky district of Kyiv on April 26, 2011.
The monument is reportedly located close to the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, and bears a plate bearing the following poignant inscription:
To the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident, who at the cost of their lives and health have protected humanity from terrible misfortune. We remember your feat.
According to figures from the World Nuclear Association, two Chernobyl plant workers died on the same night the accident took place, with a further 28 people dying within a few weeks due to acute radiation poisoning.
According to the World Nuclear Association:
The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was the product of a flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes made by the plant operators. It was a direct consequence of Cold War isolation and the resulting lack of any safety culture.
It’s unclear whether or not the inclusion of this monument was a deliberate nod to those who lost their lives, or just the sort of gaff which comes when shooting shows rooted in historical fact. At least it wasn’t a coffee cup from Starbucks!
However, this ‘time capsule’ really drives home the devastation of the worst civil nuclear disaster ever seen on this planet, and the painful mark left on the people of Ukraine.
Chernobyl is currently airing each week on Sky Atlantic and HBO.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.