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Linked -- Chernobyl disaster.

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{{Infobox person
| name = Leonid Petrovich Telyatnikov
| image = Leonid Telyatnikov (1951-2004).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name = Леонид Петрович Телятников
| native_name_lang = uk
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1951|01|25}}
| birth_place = Vvedenka, [[Kostanai Province]], [[Kazakhstan]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|12|02|1951|01|25}}
| death_place = [[Kiev]], [[Ukraine]]
| death_cause = Cancer
| resting_place = [[Baykove cemetery]], Kiev, Ukraine
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| nationality = [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]]
| employer = [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] fire department, [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of the Interior]] of the [[USSR]]
| organization = Fire department of Kiev
| known_for = Bravery during the [[Chernobyl disaster#Fire_containment|Chernobyl Disaster]].
| awards = [[Hero of the Soviet Union]]
}}

'''Leonid Petrovich Telyatnikov''' (Леонид Петрович Телятников; January 25, 1951, in Vvedenka, [[Kostanai Province]], [[Kazakhstan]] – December 2, 2004, in [[Kiev]], [[Ukraine]]) was the head of the fire department at the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] and led the team of firefighters to the fire at reactor number 4 which became the [[Chernobyl disaster]]. Despite the [[Ionizing radiation#Acute|radiological dangers]], they had no [[NBC suit|radiation suits]], no [[respirator]]s, and no working [[dosimeter]]s. From results of a blood test it was estimated he received 4 [[gray (unit)|grays]] of radiation.

According to one source,<ref>Text to image of opening of a monument to Leonid Telyatnikov at [[Baykove cemetery]] in Kiev. [http://photo.unian.net/eng/detail/35078.html Source Unian (access 23 July 2008)]</ref> Telyatnikov headed the fire fighting effort at [[Chernobyl nuclear power plant|Chernobyl Reactor Unit 4]] after the explosion on April 26, 1986. At that time Telyatnikov was the chief of military [[fire prevention]] at the Chernobyl nuclear-power station. Telyatnikov and his subordinates ascended the badly damaged and heavily radiation contaminated roof of Reactor Unit 4 more than once in order to prevent the fires from spreading and endangering Reactor Unit 3.

Another source gives a slightly different account:
<blockquote>Major Leonid Telyatnikov, the commander of Fire Station No. 2, was on holiday, but he lived in [[Prypiat, Ukraine|Prypiat]] and had received the alarm signal by telephone. He arrived at the reactor site about 10 minutes after the firemen had begun their battle and he then took overall command. He climbed onto the roof of Reactor Unit 3. Although there were at least five fires on the roof, the reactor was still operating. The priorities of the firemen were clear — they had to extinguish the fires on the roof of the undamaged reactor and in the machine hall. They used mainly water to do this. Despite their efforts, they could not prevent the fire from spreading before the Kiev fire brigade arrived to replace them.<ref>

{{cite book
| last = Medvedev
| first = Zhores A.
| authorlink = Zhores A. Medvedev
| title = The Legacy of Chernobyl
| publisher = W. W. Norton & Company (paperback 1992). First American edition in 1990
| year = 1990
| isbn = 978-0-393-30814-3
}} page 42
</ref></blockquote>

[[File:Leonid Telyatnikov (1951-2004) decorated in UK.jpg|thumb|right| The President of the British Fire Services Association presenting the Order of Gallantry, for bravery, to Major Telyatnikov, the Commander of the Chernobyl Fire Brigade.]]

In 1987 Telyatnikov was named a [[Hero of the Soviet Union]]. Two of his subordinates, Vladimir Pravik and Viktor Kibenok, were given the award posthumously, as they died from [[acute radiation sickness]] soon after the disaster.

Telyatnikov continued his service in the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of the Interior]] of the [[USSR]], and, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, in [[Ukraine]]. In 1998, Telyatnikov headed the volunteer fire department of Kiev, and designed the "Junior Firefighter" program. He died of [[cancer]] at the age of 53. His death has been attributed to radiation exposure, and he is listed as a casualty of the Chernobyl disaster.

On April 25, 2006, the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, a monument was dedicated to him at the [[Baykove cemetery]] in Kiev where he is buried.

== See also ==
* [[Deaths due to the Chernobyl disaster]]
* [[Liquidator (Chernobyl)]]

== Notes ==
<references/>

== External links ==

* '''(ru)''' [http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1953 Leonid Petrovich Telyatnikov] by Nicolai Vasilevich Ufarkin at ''Geroi Strani''.
* '''(en)''' [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060419f3.html Late Chernobyl fireman's blood tests to be disclosed], ''[[Japan Times]]'', April 19, 2006
* '''(en)''' [http://photo.unian.net/eng/detail/35078.html Opening of Telyatnikov's monument at Baykove] from [[UNIAN]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telyatnikov, Leonid}}
[[Category:Chernobyl liquidators]]
[[Category:Firefighters]]
[[Category:Heroes of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Ukrainian police officers]]
[[Category:Soviet major generals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin]]
[[Category:People from Kostanay Region]]

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