RADIATION & RISK
Bulletin of the National Radiation and Epidemiological Registry
since 1992
About the Journal : 2026 : vol. 35, No. 2 : The current radioecological situation in the areas of the “Chernobyl footprint” in Russia: 40 years later

The current radioecological situation in the areas of the “Chernobyl footprint” in Russia: 40 years later

«Radiation and Risk», 2026, vol. 35, No. 2, pp.173-185

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2026-35-2-173-185

Authors

Kryshev I.I. – Chief Researcher, D. Sc., Phys.-Math., Prof.
Buryakova A.A. – Jun. Researcher. Contacts: 4 Pobedy str., Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249038; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Pavlova N.N. – Researcher, C. Sc., Biol.
Katkova M.N. – Acting Head of Lab., C. Sc., Biol.
Polyanskaya O.N. – Researcher
Yakhryushin V.N. – Sen. Researcher. RPA “Typhoon”.
Research and Production Association “Typhoon”, Obninsk

Abstract

Four decades after the Chernobyl accident, the assessment of the long-term effects of radioactive environmental pollution remains relevant. The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the current radioecological situation (as of January 2025) in the areas of the emergency trace with an emphasis on the most radioactively contaminated territories in the Bryansk, Kaluga, Tula and Oryol regions. Estimates for background territories in the Novgorod region are also presented for comparison. The work is based on data from long-term monitoring conducted by Research and Production Association “Typhoon” of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring. The study found that the main dose-forming radionuclide in the vast majority of the emergency trace is long-lived 137Cs, which contributes to the integral contamination index (ICI) of soil from 78% to 100%. The contribution of the 90Sr to the ICI is an order of magnitude smaller. The dose rate and the environmental risk index were estimated for some reference species of terrestrial biota. It has been established that the current values of the radiation dose rate of the considered biota species, determined by the average density of soil contamination with radionuclides in the areas under consideration, satisfy the maximum permissible radiation load. It is shown that the highest dose loads for reference species are preserved in the Bryansk region. A steady positive trend in improving the radiation situation has been revealed. Over the past five years (2020-2025), the number of settlements in 137Cs pollution zones with a density of 15-40 Ci/km2 has decreased by more than 2 times, and the values of ICI have decreased by an average of 1.2 times. In the long term (from 1986 to 2025), the radiation dose rate of biota in the most radionuclide contaminated areas decreased by 20-30 times, and the ICI values decreased by 3.5 times. Despite the significant improvement in the radiation situation, the continued spatial heterogeneity of pollution and the potential risk to the most radiosensitive species necessitate continued radioecological monitoring in the territories of the emergency trace.

Key words
Chernobyl accident, monitoring, emergency trace, radioecological situation, dynamics, biota, caesium-137, strontium-90, radiation dose, environmental risk, integrated contamination index, environmental criterion, environmental health.

References

1. Aleksakhin R.M., Buldakov L.A., Gubanov V.A., Drozhko E.G., Il’in L.A., Kryshev I.I., Linge I.I., Romanov G.N., Savkin M.N., Saurov M.M., Tikhomirov F.A., Kholina Yu.B. Large-scale radiated accidents: consequences and protective measures. Eds.: L.A. Il’in, V.A. Gubanov. Moscow, IzdAT, 2001. 752 p. (In Russian).

2. Atlas of current and forecasted aspects of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident in the affected areas of Belarus and Russia. Eds.: Yu.A. Izrael’, I.M. Bogdevich. Moscow, Foundation “Infosphere-NIA-Nature”; Minsk, Belkartografiya, 2009. 140 p. (In Russian).

3. Russian National Report: 35 Years of the Chernobyl accident. Results and prospects of overcoming its con-sequences in Russia. 1986-2021. Ed.: L.A. Bolshov. Moscow, Academ-Print, 2021. 104 p. (In Russian).

4. Kryshev I.I., Buryakova A.A., Sazykina T.G. Assessment of radioecological situation in the areas of the “Chernobyl footprint” in Russia (1986-2020). Radiatsiya i risk – Radiation and Risk, 2021, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 25-37. (In Russian).

5. Radioecological consequences of the Chernobyl accident: biological effects, migration, rehabilitation of con-taminated areas. Eds: N.I. Sanzharova, S.V. Fesenko. Moscow, RAN, 2018. 278 p. (In Russian).

6. Shershakov V.M. Participation of the RPA “Typhoon” in the work on overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Consequences of Radiation Accidents – to the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident: Proceedings of the International Research and Practice Conference, April 22-23, 2021. Eds.: N.I. Sanzharova, V.M. Shershakov. Obninsk, RIRAE, 2021, pp. 22-25. (In Russian).

7. Development of a radiation monitoring system in Russia. Ed.: V.M. Shershakov. Moscow, OOO «Maska», 2020. 280 p. (In Russian).

8. Data on radioactive contamination of the territory of the Russian Federation settlements with caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-(239+240). Compiled by V.N. Yakhryushin. Obninsk, RPA “Typhoon”, 2025. 229 p. Available at: https://www.rpatyphoon.ru/upload/medialibrary/ezhegodniki/rzrf/ezheg_rzrf_2025.pdf (Accessed 10.08.2025). (In Russian).

9. Data on radioactive contamination of the territory of the Russian Federation settlements with caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-(239+240). Ed.: S.M. Vakulovsky, Compiled by V.N. Yakhryushin. Obninsk, RPA “Typhoon”, 2020. 224 p. Available at: https://www.rpatyphoon.ru/upload/medialibrary/ezhegod-niki/rzrf/ezheg_rzrf_2020.pdf (Accessed 10.08.2025). (In Russian).

10. Recommendations R 52.18.923-2022. The procedure for assessing the risk from radioactive contamination of the environment based on radiation monitoring data. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrome-teorology and Environmental Monitoring, Roshydromet 26.12.2022. Obninsk, 2023. 28 p. (In Russian).

11. ICRP, 2009. Environmental protection: the concept and use of reference animals and plants. ICRP Publication 108. Ann. ICRP, 2009, vol. 38, no. 4-6, pp. 1-251.

12. Recommendations R 52.18.820-2015. Assessment of radiation and environmental impacts on natural envi-ronment based on radiation monitoring data. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Roshydromet 17.04.2015. Obninsk, 2015. 60 p. (In Russian).

13. ICRP, 2014. Protection of the environment under different exposure situations. ICRP Publication 124. Ann. ICRP, 2014, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 1-58.

14. Sazykina T.G., Kryshev A.I. Evaluation of threshold levels for effects of chronic exposure of mammals with different life expectancies. Radiatsionnaya biologiya. Radioekologiya – Radiation Biology. Radioecology, 2024, vol. 64, no. 5, pp. 499-509. (In Russian).

15. Recommendations R 52.18.853-2016. Estimation procedure for control levels of radionuclide content in fresh water and soils. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Roshydromet, 17.08.2016. Procedures for estimating the radionuclide control levels in environmental objects. Obninsk, 2016, pp. 29-55. (In Russian).

16. Buryakova A.A., Pavlova N.N., Kryshev I.I., Katkova M.N. Dynamics and current state of radioecological situation on the territory of the Chernobyl radioactive trace in the Bryansk region. Radiatsionnaya biologiya. Radioekologiya – Radiation Biology. Radioecology, 2021, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 277-285. (In Russian).

17. Recommendations R 52.18.913-2021. The procedure for calculating the reference levels of radionuclides in atmospheric air. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monito-ring, Roshydromet 23.08.2021. Obninsk, 2021. 50 p. (In Russian).

18. Romanovich I.K., Bazyukin A.B., Bratilova A.A., Bruk G.Ya., Zhesko T.V., Kaduka M.V., Kravtsova O.S. The current levels of 137Cs in foodstuffs of wild origin according to the results of the radiation-hygienic survey of the Bryansk region settlements. Radiatsionnaya gygiena – Radiation Hygiene, 2025, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 7-17. (In Russian).

Full-text article (in Russian)