The initial distribution of charges arising in the course of bimolecular ionization as well as subsequent ion recombination and separation is calculated. The ionization is shown to be contact only in the kinetic control (fast diffusion) limit while in the course of diffusion-controlled and static reactions the majority of ions are born far from each other. At moderate and slow diffusion, spatial dispersion of the electron transfer rates and self-generated initial conditions for recombination must be taken into account to find the real quantum yield as well as the kinetics of charge separation.