Chernobyl: A Stalkers’ Guide by Darmon Richter (Author), FUEL (Author), Damon Murray (Editor), Stephen Sorrell (Editor)
The exclusion zone where the Chernobyl nuclear disaster took place is now frozen in history. Radioactive material sinks into the ground, so digging is prohibited. It has now become a popular tourist attraction. The official way to visit the area is through an organized tour group. Tours are limited to certain areas and must be appropriately checked for radiation. The other route to explore the area is "stalking". This involves sneaking into the zone through back routes and hiding out from police patrols.
The author primarily explored the region via "official" means. However, he did go on one "stalker" trip. He had a guide that helped him through the area. They would camp in abandoned buildings and hide out when police were expected. The stalking trips allowed seeing areas that are off limits to regular tourists, though it did have some dangers. There were also some in-between trips where he would go in with people that would have have some rights, and just go off the beaten path for a bit.
The author also explored the area from Belarus. They are more strict about visitors and have fewer tourists. Belarus also has helped maintain Soviet monuments, while Ukraine has had a de-communization policy that has let old monuments decay.
The book is filled with many pictures of the zone and monuments.
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