From the publisher’s website:
Nearly forty years have passed since the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - the most severe nuclear accident in history and one of the gravest man-made disasters ever recorded. Countless books, documentaries, and films have examined the catastrophe and its aftermath. Yet, despite this abundance of material, a crucial aspect of the story has remained largely overlooked in English-language accounts: the immense contribution of Soviet aviation to the response effort.
In the shadow of the “liquidators” who manually cleared radioactive debris, thousands of aviators - especially helicopter crews - risked their lives flying repeated missions into the deadly plume above Reactor No. 4. Their work was vital in containing the fallout, delivering personnel and equipment, and monitoring radiation in conditions no aircraft had ever been designed to endure. Their story has never received the recognition it deserves.
