Olena is a radiation biologist working in Chornobyl. The invasion changed not only her daily life, but also the direction of her work. At the time of the interview, Olena was leading a project to prioritise areas for humanitarian demining.

The staff of her institute managed to escape the occupation thanks to the director’s quick decisions, as the enemy was already crossing the Chornobyl zone on the first day. After the russian invaders fled, they left behind the ruined laboratories. And the lie that Ukraine was creating a “dirty bomb”.