Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov (26 July 1953 – 13 May 1986) was a Soviet engineer and shift supervisor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. On the night of 26 April 1985, Akimov was the senior operator in the control room of Reactor 4 when the plant experienced a catastrophic power‑rise accident, later known as the Chernobyl disaster.
During the emergency, Akimov coordinated the initial response, including the manual insertion of control rods and attempts to vent the reactor building. He remained in the control room despite exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation and, together with other plant personnel, was among the first to succumb to acute radiation syndrome. Akimov died on 13 May 1986, approximately three weeks after the incident.
Born in Kansk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Soviet Union, Akimov graduated from the Tomsk Polytechnic Institute with a degree in nuclear engineering. He began working at the Chernobyl plant in 1979, advancing to the position of senior engineer and shift supervisor.
In recognition of his actions during the disaster, Akimov was posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, although the official citation was later amended to reflect the circumstances of the accident. His role has been documented in numerous investigations and historical accounts of the Chernobyl incident, and he has been portrayed in various media, including documentary films and dramatizations of the disaster.