Plasma lipids and antioxidant defense factors were examined 5-6 years after the exposure in 49 subjects who had taken part in decontamination of the territories after the Chernobyl accident against those in non-exposed donors. Elevated levels of heptane-soluble lipoperoxides and of dienketones were registered, though malonic dialdehyde changed little. The above parameters deviated from the control level more in subjects exposed to higher ecological risk. In this group of examinees the antioxidant activity failed to neutralize lipoperoxide excess under low activity of plasma catalase. Antioxidant drugs are recommended to manage disorders of lipoperoxide homeostasis in subjects exposed to radiation as a result of Chernobyl accident.