Alexander Kupnyi is a Ukrainian engineer, radiation specialist, and photographer who has devoted much of his professional life to working at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Employed at the site for many years, he has been directly involved in radiation monitoring, safety assessment, and the ongoing management of contaminated areas following the 1986 nuclear disaster. Kupnyi is especially known for his meticulous documentation of radiation levels in some of the most hazardous locations inside the plant and surrounding zone, often venturing into areas rarely accessed even by specialists.
In addition to his technical work, Kupnyi has gained international recognition for his photography, which combines scientific rigor with stark visual testimony. His images capture abandoned control rooms, decaying infrastructure, and everyday working conditions inside Chernobyl, offering an insider’s perspective that bridges engineering, history, and visual documentation. Through lectures, interviews, and published photographs, Alexander Kupnyi has played an important role in preserving the lived, technical reality of Chernobyl while helping the public understand the long-term consequences of nuclear catastrophe and the ongoing human effort required to manage its aftermath.
