Sergii Mirnyi

Sergii Mirnyi is a Chornobyl veteran, ecologist, writer, organizer of Chornobyl tourism and captain in reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In 1986, in the first months after the Chornobyl explosion, he was the commander of a radiation reconnaissance platoon in the Chornobyl zone, and was cited for his courage and heroism by the Commander of the Kyiv Military Area.

Though having Master of Sciences degree in chemistry; after his work in Chornobyl he got a an MSc degree in environmental sciences and policy, completed a series of notable research of Chornobyl and similar events, and become a well-known expert in mitigation of and prevention the consequences of radiation disasters.

Published innovative scientific research – the monograph ” Chernobyl liquidators’ health as a psycho-social trauma”, general reviews “Chernobyl: Accident mitigated – disaster perpetuated” and “Chernobyl as info-trauma”. Based on these studies, he conceived and laid scientific foundation for the tourism to the Chornobyl events’ sites, viewing it as a mandatory means to maintain the health of Chornobyl veterans and to revive affected communities and the region. He also theoretically proved the radiation safety of short-term visits of tourists to the Chornobyl zone, the conclusion was later proved experimentally.

In his fiction and documentary books and movie scripts he described the adventures and positive experience of Chornobyl radiation reconnaissance men, conveyed a new knowledge about human being and society, about radiation, the knowledge which the Chornobyl accident and its mitigation helped to discover. His fiction novel and movie screenplay “Chornobyl comedy”, non-fiction novel “Life forces”, and novella and screenplay “Worse than radiation” received numerous awards.

Now most of the time Sergii lives and works near the Chornobyl zone, in an old traditional rural house, which had been abandoned for decades and which he restored. He continues his efforts to revive the Chornobyl land and people.