© RIA Novosti / Stringreplace in fotobanka Ferris Pripyat© RIA Novosti / Stringreplace the image Bank

Hovrinskaya abandoned hospital, unfinished Moscow Aqua Park and dead village in the exclusion zone of Chernobyl — in these places, symbols of decay and dying, where ordinary people try not to look, stalkers, according to them, derive special energy. That attracts these people to the exclusion zone and why they are ready for her to drop everything — in the material RIA Novosti.

© Photo : personal archive maxima Alexisinnocent Hovrinskaya hospital in Moscow was halted in 1985. Since then, it remains a neglected place, which was one of the key targets for stalkers© Photo : From personal archive of Maksima Alexisinnocent Hovrinskaya hospital in Moscow was halted in 1985. Since then, it remains a neglected place, which was one of the key targets for stalkers

«Everywhere, where there is lifelessness, I find new strength to live,» says 27-year-old Yuri Tomaszewski, whose «Stalker experience» is already seven years old. Stalker movement has been actively developed since 2007, when the first computer game series «S. T. A. L. K. E. R.», the prototype of which was the Chernobyl exclusion zone. However, in Russian language the word «Stalker» came after the publication of the novel by the Strugatsky brothers «roadside picnic» (1972) and shot in her movie «Stalker» (1979) by Andrei Tarkovsky.

This is the choice for many experienced stalkers is the most interesting object for research. «Before the first trip to the area in 2010 I have been only on point objects — tunnels, bunkers, abandoned buildings, — says Yuri Tomaszewski. — So I’ve been practicing, preparing himself for the zone.»

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Presscastaneda Polissya in Pripyat, September 2017© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Presscastaneda Polissya in Pripyat, September 2017
Two paths in the area

The area around the mothballed nuclear power plant can be reached in two ways: with the official tour and illegally through gaps in the fence. Stalkers use the second way. The main danger is being caught by the patrols. And if in Ukraine, for it faces a fine of 850 hryvnia (about 1700 Russian rubles), in Belarus everything is much more serious: the first fine is 2000 rubles (about 60 thousand Russian rubles), and the second detention within a year fraught with criminal prosecution.

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Prescripti actually became a dead city after the accident at the Chernobyl NPP in 1986. Photo: abandoned swimming pool in Pripyat town in the Chernobyl exclusion zone© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Prescripti actually became a dead city after the accident at the Chernobyl NPP in 1986. Photo: abandoned swimming pool in Pripyat town in the Chernobyl exclusion zone
Canned time

Many stalkers for the first time go to Pripyat with the official tour. Muscovite Maxim Aleksashina 27 years, and among the stalkers he was one of the pioneers: for ten years he had been in the area 48 times. His goal is to visit all 220 non-villages in the zone. He walked for 140. «About the trips to Pripyat I found out after I visited the Hovrinskaya abandoned hospital, — says Maxim. — Then decided to go on a tour — it cost only 3000 rubles.» Maxim on tour do not like: «On lawns not to walk in the house not to look» — and it is in the dead city, the survivors of the technological disaster.

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Polskiemlyny began to explore the Chernobyl exclusion zone in 2007. Today the area is visited regularly by about 200 stalkers. On the photo: stalkers in Pripyat town in October 2017 © Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Polskiemlyny began to explore the Chernobyl exclusion zone in 2007. Today the area is visited regularly by about 200 stalkers. On the photo: stalkers in Pripyat town in October 2017

Stanislav Polissya 28 years old, and stalking has he engaged in since 2010. Then he ran a group in «Vkontakte» «Chernobyl zone the eyes of the Stalker», which in its eight years of existence has become one of the largest associations of its kind — today the community consists of about 45 thousand participants. «The Soviet Union I in the age of reason didn’t, and I was curious to see it: all the posters, slogans, schools, kindergartens,» — says Stanislav.

A study of abandoned places became a kind of tourism. There is even a term — Urban Exploration (from the English. «the study of cities»). Mainly to explore the area, go stalkers from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, however, the interest in Chernobyl is increasing. «Tourism here is well developed. We have kind of Disneyland, only with a sad story, — says Stanislav. — We visited stalkers from Sweden, Germany, Portugal. One pole a month lived in Pripyat says run wild a little.» According to Poliske today, about 200 constantly stalkers come to the zone.

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislav Presscasino is under guard, so that none of the visitors could not bear your items or cut down trees© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislav Presscasino is under guard, so that none of the visitors could not bear your items or cut down trees
The danger in the area

The territory is protected, which ensures that the zone no one took out the infected items, or wood. Therefore, the main skill of a Stalker — well-to get around checkpoints and hiding from patrols. Now to detect violators much easier: in the trees cameras are installed, and the area circling the quadcopter. Stalkers tell that the guards in Pripyat — whether from boredom, or for training — shoot unsighted fire at an empty home. «It’s getting dangerous, — says Yuri Tomashevsky. — Someone was leaning out the window, and the stars to align so that someone will be killed».

Another danger is radiation. Officially living in the zone is prohibited. In the Stalker includes a device for measuring background radiation in the dosimeter. «In Pripyat still remains the place where you can stay a few minutes with proper respiratory protection, or you literally break my life, — says Stanislav Polessky. — These areas include the basement part with the uniforms of firefighters, who extinguished the fire in the night of the accident and the basement of the plant «Jupiter», which was the laboratory for the study of the effects of radiation».

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Presciprion for measurement of background radiation is an integral part of the equipment of a Stalker. On the photo: stalkers with a dosimeter Pripyat in the fall of 2017© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Presciprion for measurement of background radiation is an integral part of the equipment of a Stalker. On the photo: stalkers with a dosimeter Pripyat in the fall of 2017

Over 30 years in this desolate forbidden territory divorced many wild animals. Maxim Aleksashin prefers to walk in the area alone and says that not once was on the brink of survival. Going on his 20th birthday in the area, the night he heard the howl of a pack of wolves a hundred meters away. «I climbed the tree in seconds and sat there until morning,» — says Maxim.

In these areas mobile phone coverage is not everywhere, and in the case of health problems desperate stalkers run the risk to stay there forever.

The stalking has love

Victoria Polesie is one of the few girls stalkers. «I know four girls who are addicted to it, — says Victoria. — Mostly girls and wives of the stalkers, the guys lead them to yourself.» For the first time Victoria got in 2013: like many others, not knowing about the existence of stalkers, she went to Pripyat on an official tour. «Then I wanted to escape from the bus and to go see it for myself,» recalls Victoria. First independent campaign in Pripyat girl made three years later: the young man Stanislav Polessky took her with him. Today in the record, Victoria has 12 Hiking in the area. In the spring of 2018, they with Stanislav planning to get married in Chernobyl.

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislav Prescrivere first came to Pripyat with her boyfriend in the summer of 2016. Since she was in the area already 12 times © Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislav Prescrivere first came to Pripyat with her boyfriend in the summer of 2016. Since then, she has been in the area for 12 times
Basic set of Stalker

Usually hike in the area lasts from four to eight days. During this time, the stalkers explore the abandoned site, go to abandoned houses, schools, hospitals. Such trips usually bring thousands of photos, to pass out of the zone any objects stalkers are not at risk. Spend the night in dilapidated buildings: either sleep in remaining from the previous inhabitants of the furnaces and the beds or in sleeping bags on the floor. During the eight days of the expedition, the Stalker runs up to 200 kilometers.

Experienced walkers to take a minimum of necessary things: comfortable shoes, backpack, warm clothes, dosimeter, compass, charger for phone and camera, a printed map, a knife and a rocket launcher. «At first I took the binoculars, and night vision devices, and even a homemade lead vest weighing 30 kilograms,» — says Maxim Aleksashin.

Beginners try to take the camping equipment for all occasions — in the end, more than half of the things the campaign is not useful. «Mate once brought a hatchet, — says Yuri Tomaszewski. — We never have used, because to cut down trees, creating excess noise and burn campfires in the area is not desirable — it is possible to attract the attention of patrols. Had this axe to bear all the way.»

«Hiking in the area, I always give myself some comfort, says Victoria Poleski. Unlike guys, I have a set of things a little different: I take the diaper cream, wipes, a minimum of seven sets of underwear, because of the abundance of dust you feel uncomfortable. And I always take a small pillow».

«Zone captured»

None of the stalkers can’t explain what attracts them so this place, but all agree on one thing: the area is addictive. About the same as it was described in the novel by the Strugatsky brothers. «All The Area! And immediately a chill. Every time I have the chills, and still I don’t know if this is because the Area meets me, whether the nerves have a Stalker acting up,» the hero said Redrick Schuhart, for which the Area was something akin to a drug.

© Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Polskiemlyny say that the most favorable time for a trip to the exclusion zone — summer, but more than anything there is in the autumn © Photo : From personal archive of the Victoria and Stanislaus Polskiemlyny say that the most favorable time for a trip to the exclusion zone — summer, but more than anything there is in the fall

«I am adequate, I work at a normal job, but it takes a month, and I to tremble at the knees want to go back to the area», — says Victoria. Maxim Aleksashin would also like to get married in the exclusion zone. «It would be great to live in the city, and in the summer come for two or three months in your house.» To the question whether he was not afraid Maxim health problems, he replied: «I understand, for me it does not affect, but on my children and grandchildren can. All of our lives — risk.»

According to Yury Tomashevsky, the energy of the place felt even at the physiological level: «get out of the area and feel like some kind of burden from his shoulders falls down.» «The zone does not let go, — said Tomaszewski. — In his first unsuccessful campaign, which ended after ten miles, I decided that I would forget about this place. But as soon as I set foot on the mainland, I realized that I want to go back».

© Photo : From personal archive of Yuri Tomashevskogo Moscow a few years ago, Yuri Tomashevsky (left) have found a place where partly filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky «Stalker»© Photo : From personal archive of Yuri Tomashevskogo Moscow a few years ago, Yuri Tomashevsky (left) have found a place where partly filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky «Stalker»
© Photo frame from the Andrei Tarkovsky film «Stalker» (1979)© photo frame from the Andrei Tarkovsky film «Stalker» (1979)

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