Nikolai Dmitrievich Tarakanov (; born 19 May 1934) is a former Soviet military leader, doctor of technical sciences, member of the Presidium of the

Russian Academy of Natural Sciences The Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (Russian language, Russian: Российская академия естественных наук) is a Russian non-governmental organization founded on August 31 1990 in Moscow in the former Soviet Uni ...

, founder and chairman of the Coordination Council of the Presidential Club Trust, Center for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities, a member of the Union of Russian Writers, laureate of the M.A. Sholokhov International Literary Prize. Tarakanov led a three-month operation to remove radioactive debris from the dangerous zones of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, as well as the restoration work after the Spitak earthquake. In his later life, he has become disabled due to consequences of his exposure to radiation in Chernobyl, and currently takes eight different medications to treat his radiation-related symptoms.

Early life and education

Tarakanov was born in the village of Gremyachye (now - Khokholsky District,

Voronezh Oblast Voronezh Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Voronezh. Its population was 2,308,792 as of the Russian Census (2021), 20 ...

) to a large peasant family. His father was Dmitry Tikhonovich Tarakanov, a veteran of the

Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...

Winter War The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and his mother was Natalia Vasilyevna. In 1953, he graduated from the Gremyachensk secondary school, then Kharkov Military Technical School. He served in the school, later in the Red Banner regiment of civil defense troops (the city of Meref) as commander of an electrical platoon.Nikolai Dmitrievich Tarakanov, Presidential Club "Trust"Tkachenko V. Nikolay Dmitrievich Tarakanov: The fate of the hero of Chernobyl and Spitak. Pseudology. In 1963, he graduated from the Kharkov Automobile and Highway Institute with a degree in

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...

. He served in

Saratov Saratov ( , ; , ) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and administrative center of Saratov Oblast, Russia, and a major port on the Volga River. Saratov had a population of 901,361, making it the List of cities and tow ...

as a regimental engineer. In 1967, he became a teacher at the Moscow Military School of Civil Defense. In 1972, he graduated from the adjuncture of the Kuibyshev Military Engineering Academy in Moscow.

Career

Tarakanov served as a senior specialist in the Military Technical Committee of the USSR Civil Defense Forces, then in the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Civil Defense (including as First Deputy Chief of the Institute), Deputy Chief of the Civil Defense Staff of the RSFSR. In 1986, he led an operation to remove highly radioactive elements from highly dangerous zones of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In 1988, he led the rescue work after the Spitak earthquake. In June 2019, in an interview with Dozhd TV channel, discussing the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

serial '' Chernobyl'', he said that he had lost the savings that he had saved for treatment. According to Tarakanov, for his leadership of the operation on the Chernobyl accident, he was presented to the title of

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

. The general said this in an interview with journalist Alexey Pivovarov. But after, as Tarakanov says, the conflict with the chief of staff of the Kiev military district, General Fedorov, he was removed from the list.

Family

Tarakanov married Zoya Ivanovna, a doctor. They had a daughter, Yelena, who became a doctor.

Awards

* Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" *

Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" The Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" (), also known as the Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", was a Soviet Union, Soviet Order (honour), military order awarded in three classes ...

III degree (1975), II degree (1987) *

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the ...

(1982) *

Order of the Badge of Honour The Order of the Badge of Honour () was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in sports, production, scientific research and socia ...

(1988) *

Order of Friendship The Order of Friendship (, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds and efforts have been aimed at ...

(1995) * Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR" * Jubilee medals "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "60 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", "65 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", * Medal "For Impeccable Service" 1, 2 and 3 degrees * Medal "75 Years of Civil Defense"

Public awards

* Order "For the Salvation of Life on Earth" (on the green ribbon) * Order "Pride of Russia" (on a red ribbon) * Order "For Service to the Fatherland" III and I degree (on tape) * Order of "Civil Valor" * Order "Defenders of the Fatherland" (white) * Freeman (Order of the silver star "Public recognition") * Order of Merit (Order of the Minister of Emergency Situations Shoigu) * The gold medal of the winner of the M.A. Sholokhov International Literary Prize * Sergey Yesenin's gold medal * Gold Medal "Honorary Lawyer" * Gold Medal "Winner of the Chernobyl Star Literary Award" Medals For Loyalty to the Fatherland, Peacemaker, Russian Land, Medal Bunin, Silver Medal of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, For merits in the revival of the nation to them. Peter the Great, 20 years of the Chernobyl disaster, For loyalty to duty, For merits in the field of veterinary medicine, George Zhukov, 55 years of the Moscow city writers' organization, Afghanistan 40th Army, Medal. Roentgen (Germany).

In popular culture

In the

television series '' Chernobyl'', Tarakanov is played by the English actor Ralph Ineson. Tarakanov praised the series, calling it “brilliant work”, and also spoke highly of the portrayal by the British actor who played him in the series.

Publications

Source �
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Scientific articles

* Maksimov, M. T., Tarakanov, N. D., Experience of Using Technical Means and Methods for Managing the Consequences of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant / Ed. ed. V.L. Govorova . - M.: stroiizdat, 1990. - 137 p. * Tarakanov N. D. Complex mechanization of rescue and emergency rescue and recovery operations. - M.: Energoatomizdat, 1984. - 304 p. - (Civil Defense of the USSR).

Books

* Tarakanov N. D. Two tragedies of the XX century. he explosion of the nuclei. reactor at Chernobyl. NPP and the Spitak earthquake Dokum. to lead - M.: Owls. writer, 1992. - 431 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. Living memory. reflections on time and on human destiny ... / comp. A. Pekarsky. - Ed. 2nd, add. nd pre. - M.: Voenizdat Branch, 2006. - 488 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. Notes of the Russian General. Fav. works: In 3 tons. - M.: 4th fil. Military Publishing, 1998. ** Vol. 1: Hell's End ** Vol. 2: Coffins on the shoulders ** Vol. 3: The Abyss * Tarakanov N. D. Notes of the Russian General. elected works - M.: Branch of Voenizdat, 2007. ** Vol. 1: Hell's End ** Vol. 2: And the Earth opened up ** Vol. 3: The Catcher in the Lie ... * N. D. Tarakanov. And the two destinies became one fate ...: a literary collection of arts. - M.: Voenizdat branch, 2008. - 175 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. When the mountains cry. - M.: Dignity, 2014. - 294 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. Hope of Russia. - M.: B.i., 2004. - 472 p. - BBK Ш6 (2 = Р) 75-491 * Tarakanov N. D. Under the constellation of the Bull. Field. meditations. - M.: Inter-Libra, 2003. - 279 p. - (err.) * N. D. Tarakanov. Break: arthquake in Armenia, 7 Dec. 1988 - M.: Military Publishing, 1991. - 192 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. Russian knot. Prince thinking - 2nd ed., dd. - M.: Military Publishing, 2002. - 615 p. - * Tarakanov N. D. Chernobyl notes, or Reflections on morality. - M.: Military Publishing, 1989. - 208 p. - * Tskhinval: a chronicle of Georgian aggression. documentary collection / under total. ed. N. D. Tarakanova. - Ed. 2nd, add. - M.: Presidential Club "Trust", 2009. - 272 p. - * "Chernobyl Signal"; "The dead judge the living"; "The dead are not silent"; “At the turn of the millennium. Fracture "; "Fracture"; "Graphite"; "Soldiers of the Fatherland"; “Vivat to President Putin!”; "President Putin in the new version"; "Sonkino Lake"

Television appearances

* Air Force TV program * ''Chernobyl: Chronicle of Silence'' * ''Good Morning'' (with

Arina Sharapova Arina Ayanovna Sharapova (; born 30 May 1961) is a Russian TV presenter, journalist and head of the workshop of journalism of the Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting Ostankino. In 1997 and 2002 she announced the results of ...

, Larisa Verbitskaya) * ''Evening Voronezh'' (1992) * ''Go!'', Klass! TV (commissioned by ORT, 1997) * ''Hero of the Day'' with

Svetlana Sorokina Svetlana Innokentyevna Sorokina (; née Sarykova; born 15 January 1957, Pushkin) is a Russian journalist, member of the , teacher at the Higher School of Economics, and a former member of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Righ ...

( NTV, 1998) * ''Witness of the Century'' (NTV, 2000) * ''Forgive'' with Andrey Rasbash ( Channel One, 2005) * ''Church and Peace'' (June 21, 2014) * ''Male and Female'' (ORT - Channel 1, February 20, 2015)

References

External links

* Nikolai Dmitrievich Tarakano
Presidential Club "Trust"
* Tkachenko V. Nikola

Pseudology. * Tarakanov N. D
The people are waiting for "debriefing"
Soviet Russia. {{DEFAULTSORT:Tarakanov, Nikolai 1934 births Living people People from Voronezh Oblast Recipients of the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 2nd class Recipients of the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 3rd class Recipients of the Order of the Badge of Honour Recipients of the Order of the Red Star Chernobyl liquidators Russian major generals Soviet major generals