The Long Shadow of Chernobyl

92year-old Kharytina Descha is one of the few elderly people who have returned to their village homes inside the Exclusion Zone. Although surrounded by devastation and isolation, she prefers to die on her own soil As she has difficulties walking and hearing she does not have much communication with anybody in the village but seems to be quite content with her situation.

Background:
After the catastrophe, close to 100.000 inhabitants who lived in villages inside the 30km Zone were evacuated. Ignoring radiation levels, a (now diminishing) number of elderly people have returned to their homes. Although surrounded by devastation and isolation, they prefer to die on their own soil than of a broken heart in anonymous city suburbs. At first Ukrainian officials discouraged them, but soon they turned a blind eye.