New Year 2014 in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. City of Pripyat (34 photos)

Kirill Vozrozhdenko aka zametkiev writes: “This is a very ambiguous report. On the one hand, such events are unethical in relation to the former residents of the Zone, and on the other hand, we breathe the spirit of new life into the abandoned. One way or another, I celebrated this New Year with my friends in the dead city of Pripyat, widely known throughout the world. I'll start in order.

December 29th. One by one, long-planned plans are disrupted. Apathy, boredom and dullness. I have not consumed alcohol for more than 5 years, and the problem of celebrating the New Year “to be remembered” is very relevant. For example, I simply overslept the 2013 meeting. The 2014 meeting, apparently, again did not promise fun. Eat salad, stuff your cheeks with sweets, go to the roof and watch the fireworks on the side. Dejection. And then, my brother pushes the idea that had flown away: “Let’s go to Pripyat.” First thought: “It’s cold. It's even colder in empty concrete high-rise buildings than on the streets. Again wet feet, again discomfort and hiking dirt. But let’s go!”

December 30th. At the last moment, another person is added to the desperate brigade. So there are four of us. Purchasing groceries in Auchan, meeting at a familiar bus station, tickets, the usual weak, intoxicating excitement usually before going THERE...

22:00 The perimeter of the Exclusion Zone has been safely crossed, the very first dead village greets us with a mournful, terrifying wolf howl. Waking up a few seconds after a powerful injection of adrenaline, I note: “How cool is that?” Yes, this is crazy. We’re getting out on the highway... I won’t describe the route in detail, I’ll start with the first overnight stay...”

Source: Zhzhurnal/zametkiev

1. First point. The dacha village “Buryakovka” on the site of the abandoned Vilcha-Yanov railway. As soon as dawn broke, I grabbed a DSLR and went to take pictures of the frost-covered Zone...

2. We spent the night in the attic of a small country house, in the summer it was probably very cozy there... but in the winter, even with little snow, we were pretty chilled...

3. The dubar stood quite large. Water poured into a metal mug was almost immediately caught in ice...

4. Silent Buryakovka

5. But time was already running out... We left. At 14:00, according to our calculations, at 20:00 we should already be in Pripyat. 12/31/2013

6. We go out to the railway. This section is relatively easy to walk. We get to the City without incident... There is no point in describing the dull 10 kilometers of monotony of the journey along the railway tracks. There was a lot of snow, which turned into a strong crust, and water was taken from a swamp, wildly reeking of hydrogen sulfide. Even after filtration with the legendary Aquaphor.

7. We got there, everything went according to plan. In the city park, near the Jupiter plant, they pulled up a small Christmas tree, which they decorated with Christmas tree decorations found in Pripyat. What would New Year be without spruce?

8. For comfort, they put blackout camouflage on the windows and lit candles... Slowly, the New Year’s magical atmosphere began to penetrate into the home abandoned more than four centuries ago...

9. The table was set...crab sticks, tangerines, chocolate. The guys brought a liter of rum, I brought a liter of apple juice for myself)

10. We filmed several home videos with congratulations for friends and family, shouted loudly and congratulated each other, despite the ephemeral opportunity to get burned. By the way, the police already detained stalkers in this apartment several months ago. But Magical New Year's Eve cannot be protocol!

11. Brother Vadim against the background of his favorite characters from the notorious film by Svetlana Baskova “The Green Elephant”. I’ve known this movie since 2008, and I’m perplexed why people only realized it now, and there’s such massive hysteria on the Internet.

12. YAY!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR, COMRADES!!!! In Pripyat, contrary to expectations, we did not meet any of the stalkers.

13. On a hangover morning, early on January 1 of this year, the expedition of stalkers, thinned by one person, moved out onto the streets of Pripyat. Our comrade valiantly coped with the serious consequences of alcohol intoxication caused as a result with triumph.

14. We went to school and were playing around...

15. We adopted a local child and left New Year’s greetings in an impromptu visitor register for tourists in the Zone

16. Cheer on the local football team!

17. And of course, we visited all the local accordions. Fortunately, on January 1st there were no patrols at all, and the entire city was at our disposal

18. Contrary to the statements of the organizers, there were also no excursions

19. The only thing missing was the sun

20. Cars. The number of digital photographs taken here probably amounts to hundreds of terabytes...

21. Let’s go to root the “coat of arms”. Well, where would we be without this...Pripyat looked truly fantastic in the frost...

22. Vadim inspects his possessions

23. We sat imposingly at the table and smoked “Havana”

24. Having descended, we moved to the second microdistrict - “mikrakha”...

25. The boys decided to imitate the Pripyat gops...If it weren’t for the evacuation, of course they would be here! As in any provincial town of the former USSR, there is nothing to prevaricate...

26. “Pripyat hangover”

27. “Mom, why did I come here!” The walk back is about 40 kilometers.

28. “You are welcome to our hut!” (C) Film “Mayhem”

29. Enraged Vadim tries in vain to congratulate his family on the holidays via a long-distance telephone line...

30. Children of a gray day. Despite all the ironic and playful manner of the report, this photo quite evokes sadness...

31. We are leaving Pripyat... There is no point in condemning stalkers, this is the only truly living future of this city. Not commercial buses and loud slogans, not the removal of everything that is left here... not the idea of blowing up houses and opening museums. Stalkers are people who truly love this sick land, come here at their own peril and risk...to think about the Eternal in silence.

32. On the way back we visited the “Circle”.

33. “Circle” antennas.

34. We spent the night next to a red-hot potbelly stove, in a place very familiar to all stalkers... and set off on our good journey home. Into the world of advertising and vanity.

We will remember this New Year for the rest of our lives. Happy Holidays everyone. All the best to everyone.