Public Opinion Poll

How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

Olha, 33 years old, state official

 1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“As far as I remember, Zaporizhzhya NPP is the biggest in Europe. Also, there is Ternopil NPP. Unfortunately, I cannot remember other NPPs”.

 2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“Overradiation is life dangerous. Let us remember Chornobyl: so many people died. And most of them did not even realize what terrible death was waiting for them”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Anatolii, 80 years old, scientist

 1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“RNPP, ZNPP, KhNPP, Mykolaiv NPP and ChNPP. I think, it is necessary to develop the nuclear power industry in Ukraine. Probably it is even possible to build one more NPP, let us say, in Sumy or in Sumy Region. At Yanukovych’s ministry, the thermal power was under significant developed. I can’t say that it was right. Firstly because of hazardous releases to the environment”.

 2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“Radioactive substances are characterized by radiation whose energy is enough to separate the electrons from atoms and for bond opening. In general, radiation may affect the mechanism of immunoreconstitution. What we have as a result? The formation of cancer cells. Yet, I want to emphasize that degree of damage depends on the intensity and duration of radiation effect on the human body. Frankly speaking, I am interested in this issue for a long time. So it is possible to call me an expert”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Nataliia, 45 years old, state official

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“I know RNPP, KhNPP, ChNPP, ZNPP, Vinnytsia NPP and Kherson NPP”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“I remember April 1986, when the accident at ChNPP Unit 4 happened. The current government of that time kept the truth from people for a long time. People did not know about the accident, they went for a walk, visited parks and received considerable radiation dose. That is why, we, Ukrainian people, are so ill. Cancer clinics are overcrowded. We hope that everything will be fine with current NPPs in Ukraine”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Khosro, 28 years old, photographer

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“As far as I know there are four NPPs. The most known is Chornobyl NPP”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“The overradiation can cause radiation disease. The human being suffers from asthenia, nausea and other symptoms. In general, this process is quite painful. The excessive exposure can cause death. So, I advise everyone concerned with radioactive facilities to be very careful”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Alina, 19 years old, student

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“There are four operable NPPs in Ukraine: ZNPP, RNPP, SUNPP, KhNPP. ChNPP was shut down as far as I know”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“Radioactive exposure is extremely dangerous, overradiation contributes to the formation of cancer cells, sometimes it causes death. The doctors recommend using laminaria (it contains a lot of iodine) for prophylaxis.”

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Andrii, 26 years old, businessman

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“In Ukraine there are four NPPs under operation: ZNPP, KhNPP, RNPP and the fourth one is, I guess, somewhere in Mykolaiv Oblast. Also we have Chornobyl NPP, but, as far as I know, it is not operable for several years”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“The overradiation causes radiation disease. If I am not mistaken, there are several states of this disease. Recently, I saw a movie about Chornobyl, I still see certain images before my eyes. Radiation is very dangerous. It is better not to joke with it”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Tetiana, 30 years old, bank officer

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“The most known is ChNPP. Everybody knows why. There are four operable NPPs in Ukraine but, unfortunately, I do not know their location”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“At excessive exposure the human body suffers from the disturbance of cell structure, the abnormal protein is generated what causes cancer”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Valerii, 70 years old, civil leader

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“Kyiv NPP, Khmelnitsky NPP, Zaporizhzhya NPP and Rivne NPP”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“All depends on the degree of exposure, excessive exposure leads to death. For example, at clinical ultrasound the exposure is minimal and generally does not cause side effects. At X-ray, the radiation level is higher, that is why it is not recommended to do it often. In general, as far as I know, the radiation level in Kyiv is much higher than in other cities more distant from Chornobyl. Therefore, it is better to leave the capital for the weekends and visit the countryside. The countryside air is better and radiation level is lower”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Olena, 35 years old, political expert

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“I can name only RNPP and KhNPP. I know that there are more NPPs. But, unfortunately, I don’t remember where”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“You know, I have recently read an article about ChNPP accident mitigation. The wife of one of the liquidators told how terribly her husband died. He was sent to the epicenter of the accident without any protective means. A few days later he died. I would not wish such painful death to anyone: bleeding, disorientation, loss of consciousness”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.

Arthur, 20 years old, student

1) How many NPPs are there in Ukraine? Name them.

“I know only Chornobyl NPP”.

2) Do you know anything about radiation hazards? How the radiation affects the human body?

“Radiation is dangerous, especially for pregnant women, because their children may be born with disabilities, both physical and mental. Gene mutation is terrible. For more information I recommend to visit “Chornobyl” Museum in Kyiv”.

Respondent style and stylistics are preserved in this publication.