'95, we were staying in Brest, Belarus. We had a local 'handler' who found someone who knew a way in and just wanted money. I had brought a extra suitcase just full of Marlboro Red cartons with the American tax stamp on them and that was better than gold bars. I think I gave him 2 cartons for full transport round trip and a guide in. We didn't go near the reactor; well, near as in relative terms. This was long before even locals were 'allowed' in so tours weren't a thing yet. The area was completely 'pristine' as far as no graffiti or vandalism or stuff like that. Wildlife had not really come back much so it was really creepy quiet. No machinery humming or air conditioners turning on or cars honking. We did wear masks and gloves and brought a complete change of clothes to throw everything away we had on. I say throw it away, but the guide kept all our jeans because American jeans were also worth a lot on black market. We didn't sit down or rub up against stuff or pick up anything (other than maybe looking at a few newspapers or books that sort of thing). Tried very hard not to get dust on us. Honestly we didn't know what was bad for us so we just acted like everything was.
I have lots of pics somewhere (you know, back in the days of actual film), just no clue where after 7 or 8 PCSs. A day after we came back we had State Department officials come tell us we had to leave the country and we thought at first we got in trouble but it was the day those American tourists were shot down in a balloon so they didn't know if Americans were being targeted or what, so they made us leave.