In brief
On the morning of April 26, 1986, Iryna and Serhiy were set to marry in Pripyat, Soviet Union, oblivious to the nuclear catastrophe occurring just a few kilometers away. Their joyous day quickly turned somber as the realities of the disaster became evident. Now living in Berlin, the couple reflects on a life shaped by love and the shadows of history. Despite the struggles and relocations, Iryna and Serhiy's bond remains unbreakable after 40 years.
It was just after midnight. Iryna Stetsenko had finished doing her nails for her wedding, opened the balcony door and was battling her nerves to get to sleep. In a nearby apartment packed with guests, her fiancé Serhiy Lobanov was asleep on a mattress in the kitchen. Then a 'rumble' disturbed the quiet, says Iryna. 'It was as if a lot of planes were flying overhead, everything was humming and the glass in the windows shook.' Serhiy, then a 25-year-old power plant engineer, brushed off the disturbance, wondering if it was a mild earthquake.Unbeknownst to the couple, the world's most catastrophic nuclear accident was unfolding at the Chernobyl Power Plant, just 2.5 miles away. The 19-year-old trainee teacher prepared for her wedding oblivious to the impending disaster. On the morning of their big day, the sun shone brightly, and excitement filled the air. But as the day progressed, unease grew amongst their guests, whose joy was overshadowed by a strange sense of foreboding. Emergency workers had been called in to tackle a toxic blaze, risking their lives for what was about to be recognized as the largest nuclear disaster in history.As the couple exchanged vows and celebrated, no one had informed them of the severity of the situation. The wedding banquet turned somber as news trickled in but remained tightly controlled by the Soviet authorities.In the ensuing hours, Iryna and Serhiy's wedding night took a dramatic turn. They were advised to evacuate Pripyat early Sunday morning. Iryna hurriedly put her wedding dress back on, running through puddles barefoot as they moved towards the evacuation train. It was a day that marked the end of one chapter and the tumultuous beginning of another.Forty years later, the couple now lives in Berlin, carrying memories of their wedding amid a nuclear disaster. They reflect on their journey, stating, 'We really can't be one without the other.' Their enduring love story, forged amid chaos and tragedy, offers a poignant reminder of resilience in the face of unimaginable circumstances.
