Samosely: People in The Zone

The Samosely are the brave residents who chose to return to their homes inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. These self-settlers refused to leave their land after the 1986 disaster, and their story is one of incredible resilience. Read on to discover how these elderly people survive in one of the most famous restricted areas on Earth.


The word “Samosely” means “self-settlers.” Most of these people are elderly, and many are women known as the “Babushkas of Chernobyl.” After the nuclear accident, the government forced everyone to leave. However, hundreds of people missed their homes too much. They snuck back past guards and fences to return to their wooden cottages and gardens.

Today, fewer than 200 Samosely remain. Most of them live in small, quiet villages or in the town of Chernobyl itself. Their numbers get smaller every year because the average age is over 80. While it was once illegal to live here, the Ukrainian government now lets them stay in peace.

Life in the Zone
Life for a samosely is simple but hard. They grow their own vegetables and keep animals like chickens or pigs. They also gather mushrooms and berries from the nearby forests. Even though the soil is still contaminated, these residents believe their connection to the land keeps them healthy. They prefer to live on their own soil rather than in a city apartment.

The government provides some help now. A mobile shop visits the villages once or twice a month to sell bread and basic supplies. Doctors also visit occasionally to check on the residents. Life is quiet, and the neighbors are usually far apart, but there is a strong sense of community among those who stayed.

Workers and Visitors
The Samosely are not the only people in the Zone. About 3,000 people work there every day. These workers help take care of the old reactors and monitor radiation levels. Unlike the Samosely, these employees do not live there forever. They work in shifts, like 15 days inside the Zone and 15 days at home. This keeps them safe from too much radiation.

The Samosely often interact with these workers and even some tourists. They enjoy sharing stories about the past. Their homes are the last link to a world that existed before the sirens went off.

These residents show us that home is more than just a place; it is where the heart truly belongs.