SUP KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKS! This episode happened because I stumbled across some material I just couldn't stop reading about. So...I made an episode about it! Listen up as this episode explores the actual real life subculture of dangerous urbex mutants who breach the guarded perimeter of the poisonous radioactive Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (or just "The Zone", if you're one of the cool kids!). We'll explore the Stalker way of life, ideas, concepts, etc. and together take a guided tour of the most notable "tourist attractions" within the Zone, as well as look at some of the Stalker folklore concerning rituals and strange inhumanoid dangers one may face when traversing..."THE ZONE!" All this plus a look into post-Soviet era "para-journalism" (more on that in the companion piece to this episode) as well as examination of urban legends surrounding a former Soviet era ruin supposedly inhabited by a "Satanic black magic cult", which as I'm sure most regular listeners know...is sure to be a hoot. PLEASE TO ENJOY!

Email us!: kooksandcranks@gmail.com

SOURCES (which also count for the companion episode as well but since I like to cut every corner I can, will only post here):

Chernobyl Prayer / Voices from Chernobyl (Oral History), Svetlana Alexievich (1997).

Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, Yablokov, Nesterenko, & Nesterenko (2009).

Post-Soviet Tunnel Folklore: Samizdat & Para-Journalism Archives (1990s) detailing the "Metrostroy Blind Ones" / "Podzemnye Zhiteli".

The Mothman Prophecies (Comparative Case Studies), John Keel (1975).

Newspaper Archives of "Komsomolskoye Znamya" & "Anomaliya" Journal Reports (Kiev, 1990–1995) on the "Podzemnye Zhiteli"

Lost Inside a Radioactive Bunker in Chernobyl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fBmDwo4ebQ

Nezavisimost Digital Archive (Komsomolskoye Znamya) - https://www.eastview.com/resources/gpa/nezavisimost/

RuFORS & UFOset Soviet Samizdat Digital Library - http://www.rufors.ru/

The National Security Archive (Chernobyl Declassified Files) - https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/

https://www.youtube.com/@paranormalresearchpaul/videos

If you are struggling with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, maybe try heading out to "The Zone" for a bit? Clear your head? But if you require immediate assistance, please dial 988.