Eerie photos of abandoned Chernobyl plant show lights still glowing on nuclear control panel

Decades after one of the worst nuclear accidents ever recorded, newly released images offer a haunting look inside the abandoned Chernobyl power station, where time appears to have stood still.

The photographs, taken just days before the 40th anniversary of the April 26, 1986 disaster, reveal a control room that still has illuminated panels, as if operations had only recently stopped. Papers remain strewn across desks, left behind when workers abruptly fled during the reactor meltdown near the city of Pripyat, then part of the Soviet Union.

Inside the facility, aging equipment sits corroded and unused, filling large industrial spaces. In one area, a faint mechanical hum can still be heard near a warning sign referencing fire safety, adding to the unsettling atmosphere of the site.

The explosion, considered the most severe radioactive incident in history, led to massive evacuations, widespread contamination, and environmental damage that continues to have effects today. As the anniversary approaches, the images serve as a stark reminder of the scale and lasting impact of the catastrophe.

Earlier in the week, several individuals who experienced the disaster firsthand—including former emergency responders and plant workers—returned to the site accompanied by journalists. Among them was 62-year-old Volodymyr Vechirko, who once worked as a cleaner at the facility.

Reflecting on the visit, Vechirko said seeing the plant in its current state was deeply emotional, noting the stark contrast between its past and its present condition.