MEDICAL TREATMENT OF CHERNOBYL VICTIMS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06754318
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: April 23, 2025
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2025
• Case Number: F-2016-02406
• Publication Date: May 20, 1986

Approved for Release: 2025/03/17 C06754318
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/ / � EXCLUSIVE TDrIR �
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TOT: 2014192 MAY 66
SECRETSPECAT NOFORN
SPECAT 2014192 CIA
To: IMMEDIATE DIRNSA, DEPARTMENT OF
WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM. NATIONAL
00EHO.
SERIAL:
PASS:
NSA FOR 21(2K 000 ZRL DE (EXCLUEIYE FOR THE- DIRECTOR. NSA): STATE.
EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR. INR; ACOA EXCLUSIVE FOR CHIEF OF THE
INTELLIGENCE STAFF; DIA EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR. DIA AND PASS
5WS (DIRECTOR ONLY); DOE EXCLUSIVE FOR THE SENIOR INTELLIGENCE
OFFICER.
STATE.
SECURITY CCJNCIL STAFF. DIA.
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FULLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS SECRET--WNINTEL--NOFORN-
ExCLUSIVE DISSEMINATION TO ADDRESSEES AT END OF REPORT
DIST: 20 MAY 1988
COUNTRY: USSR
SUM): MEDICAL TREA1(b)(3)CHERNOBYL VICTIMS
DOI:
SOURCE:
TEXT: 1. VICTIMS OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT ARE UNDERGOING
TREATMENT FOR VARYING DEGREES OF RADIATION SICKNESS AT HOSPITAL
NUMBER SIX IN MOSCOW. SPECIALISTS 1910 REVIEWED THE CASES AT HOSPITAL
SIX NOTED THAT THERE WERE ABOUT 30 CASES REVIEWED. AND ALL OF THE
CASES WERE YOUNG MALES IN THEIR MID-20'S. THEIR CONDITIONS RANGED
FROM THOSE IN APPARENTLY GOOD HEALTH EXHIBITING NO ILL EFFECTS FROM
THEIR EXPOSURE. TO AT LEAST TWO WHO WERE DEEMED TOO SICK FOR
TREATMENT. 30 PATIENTS WERE REVIEWED BETWEEN 4 MAY AND 10 MAY. OF
THAT NUMBER. TWO WERE CONSIDERED TOO ILL FOR TREATMENT BY BONE MARROW
TRANSPLANT. SIX OTHERS WERE GIVEN FETAL LIVER TRANSPLANTS RATHER THAN
BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS AND MANY OTHERS WERE GIVEN BONE MARROW
TRANSPLANTS. F-H:E-- c-,JICOMMENT: THE TWO DEEMED TOO ILL FOR TREATMENT
ARE ASSUMED TO ED.) ONE OF THE PATIENTS COULD NOT BE FED
BECAUSE HIS MOUTH WAS BLEEDING AND FULL OF SORES. ANOTHER PAT/ENT
1-m0 RADIATION BURNS ON HIS LEGS. AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM,
ENT APPEARED TO HAVE SUFFERED NO APPARENT ILL EFFECTS.
COMMENT: THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER
WHICH THESE YOUNG MEN WERE EXPOSED TO RADIATION. THERE WAS NO
INFORMATION-ABOUT THEIR JOBS. NOR PROXIMITY TO THE REACTOR WHEN THEY
WERE AFFECTED BY RADIATION. IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THESE PATIENTS
REPRESENTED ALL OF THE CHERNOBYL VICTIMS UNDER TREATMENT.)
2. SEVERAL FLOORS OF THE HOSPITAL WERE QUARANTINED FOR USE BY
THE CHERNOBYL VICTIMS. EACH VICTIM HAD A PRIVATE ROOM AND HIS BLOOD
COUNT WAS TAKEN DAILY. COMMENT: HOSPITAL SIX WAS NOT LIKE A
NORMAL HOSPITAL IN THE SENSE THAT THERE WERE NO READY INDICATIONS OF
'SEGREI
D/OCR
OUTGOING
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OTHER NORMAL HOSPITAL ACTIVITY BESIDES THAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CHERNOBYL VICTIMS. THERE WERE NO BABIES OR OTHER TYPES OF PATIENTS
THAT ONE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE IN A NORMAL HOSPITAL. HOSPITAL NUMBER
SIX IS A NINE STORY STRUCTURE THAT IS WALLED OFF FROM ITS NEIGHBCRS.
ACCESS TO THE BUILDING IS RESTRICTED BY SECURITY GUARDS.)
3. THERE WERE TEN 3CVIET DOCTONS TREATING THE CHERNOBYL
PATIENTS AT HOSPITAL SIX. (FM.)) ((BARANOV)) WAS IN CIA2GE OF THE
DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AT THE HOSPITAL AND ITS HANDLING OF THE
ACCIDENT VICTIMS. A SPECIALIST FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. ANGELINA
((OUSKOVA)). CHIEF OF THE INSTITUTE OF BIOPHYSICS OF THE MINISTRY OF
HEALTH WAS IN OVERALL CHARGE OF THE EFFORT TO TREAT THE RADIATION
VICTIMS. EVERY DAY AT FOUR P.M. THE SOVIETS WOULD MEET TO REVIEW
EACH PATIENT'S CONDITION AND DECIDE THE NEXT DAY'S COURSE OF
TREATMENT. EACH PATIENT'S CASE HISTORY WOULD BE PRESENTED FOLLOWED
BY SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S BLOOD COUNT. TISSUE TYPE
AM) UimER RELEVANT FACTORS. IN ADDITION TO BARANOV AND GUSKOvA.
OTHER DOCTORS WORKING AT HOSPITAL SIX-ARE (FM.)) ((STFPANOV)). (FM))
((NOSKRESENSKIY)) AND (FM)) ((FETISOV)). ALL THREE WERE FROM THE
MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
4. COMMENT: THE SOVIET DOCTORS SEEMED TO BE WELL
VERSED IN THE EFFECTS OF RADIATION ON HUMANS. THE DOCTORS WERE ABLE
TO DETERMINE A VICTIM'S LEVEL OF EXPOSURE FROM HIS SYMPTOMS. THEY
WERE ABLE TO DEDUCE THE NUMBER OF REDS FOR A VICTIM AS A CORRELATION
OF THE NUMBER OF LYMPHOCYTES IN HIS BLOOD. THE SOVIET DOCTORS SEEMED
TO ALREADY HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF UHAT SPECIFIC DAMAGE IS
INFLICTED BY WHAT SPECIFIC DOSE OF RADIATION.)
5. COMMENT: IN CONTRAST TO THEIR APPARENT KN3WLEDGE
OF RADIATION SICKNESS. SOVIET DOCTORS WERE AT LEAST TEN YEARS BEHIND
THE WEST IN TISSUE TYPING TECHIICUES NECESSARY TO PERFORM BONE MARROW
TRANSPLANTS. MUCH OF THEIR EQUIPMENT WAS RUDIMENTARY AND UP TO 30
YEARS OLD. NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS WERE A U.S. ULTRA-COLD FREEZER AND A
CENTRIFUGE. DOCTORS AT HOSPITAL SIX HAD TO OBTAIN RE-AGENTS CR ANTI-
SERUMS USED TO TISSUE TYPE VICTIMS FROM LENINGRAD WHICH SEEMED TO BE
THE BEST AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTRY. SOVIET DOCTORS ARE NOW BEING
TRAINED INTENSIVELY IN MODERN TISSUE TYPING TECNVIOUES AND HAVE
RECEIVED MODERN EQUIPMENT THAT SHDULD SPEED THE PROCESS. THE THREE
SOVIETS BEING TRAINED IN MODERN TISSUE TYPING ARE (FM)) ((ZOTIKOV)).
(FM)) ((ZARLESKYA)) AbID (FM)) ((MUZAVIEA)).
DISSEM:
WASHINGTON DISSEM:
TO STATE: EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR, INR.
TO DIA: EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR. DIA.
TO NSA: EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR. NSA.
TO DOE: EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
INTELLIGENCE.
TO ACDA: EXCLUSIVE FOR THE CHIEF OF THE INTELLIGENCE STAFF.
WARNING: REPORT CLASSSECRET --WARNING NOTICEINTELLIGENCE
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