On February 24, 2022, as Russian forces invaded Ukraine through Belarus, Lyudmila Dybrenko, the head of the Chernobyl meteorological observatory, urged her team to evacuate. However, she soon realized that her own chance to escape had vanished, as Russian troops took control of the exclusion zone surrounding the nuclear facility.

“We began collecting monitors and equipment, but it was too late,” Dybrenko recounted in the humble hut serving as the weather station. Despite the grim circumstances, she resolved to continue essential measurements of radiation, temperature, wind, and rainfall to aid scientific monitoring of the Chernobyl area. “I chose to keep working,” she stated. “I truly love my job and my country.”

Normal operations rely on automated systems to collect and transmit data. However, by March 9, power was cut off, rendering equipment inoperative and making heating and cooking extremely difficult. The hut became the warmest refuge during my winter stay in Chernobyl, with a fire providing warmth while Dybrenko worked at her desk. Life under occupation posed unique challenges.

Dybrenko meticulously monitored Russian patrol schedules, timing her outdoor measurements. She resorted to using an old cell phone with better signal capabilities than modern smartphones to transmit her findings. The weather station, situated in Chernobyl’s highlands, allowed her to find locations – like a truck park and a church – where she could connect to weak signals and extract data.

“Software typically automates data assembly and transmission, but that was not an option during the power outage,” Dybrenko explained. “So, we had to do it manually.”

Unfortunately, as Dybrenko carried on with her tasks, Russian soldiers grew bolder. At one point, a soldier forced his way into her home, demanding cognac. She decided to treat him like a misbehaving schoolboy, snapping, “Is this a restaurant?” Remarkably, her approach worked, and he left sheepishly.

Eventually, upon spotting a small red light in the bushes near her scientific equipment, she realized a perpetual clock had been hidden there. Unaware of its presence, she continued to operate as usual.

Thanks to her unwavering dedication, there are no data gaps, allowing for comprehensive scientific analysis of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone during the occupation. In recognition of her bravery, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awarded her a rare medal, granted to a meteorologist during the war—an honor she wears with rightful pride.