Vign04(20160715) Kiev In April 1986 (4 of 15)

1986

Kiev has always been a wonderful place to visit, especially in the spring. I always took great pleasure in walking around Kyiv, enjoying the sights and the scent of the blossoming cherry and chestnut trees. And of course the gorgeous girls.

In April of 1986, I had to travel to Kyiv to take Уextension coursesФ for work. I was told I needed to brush up on my propaganda skills.

Three weeks after I arrived, a flurry of rumours began flying around. Something had happened in Chornobyl. However, there was no information in the mass media, so nobody really took it seriously.

But one day I noticed something unusual Ч a small piece of paper at the public telephone office that sent a shiver down my spine. It said:
УNo connection to Chernobyl and Prypiat.Ф
Obviously, then, the rumours were true. There was indeed a serious problem in Chernobyl and Prypiat.

On the other hand, it was after all only a note about telephone service being down. Nothing particularly unusual about that. Maybe it really was just a strange coincidence.

So, life went on as usual. For most people living in and visiting Kyiv, it was just another wonderful spring to enjoy.

Then a few days later, everything changed. The rest of the world had found out about the nuclear disaster in Chornobyl and Prypiat, so Soviet authorities could no longer pretend that nothing had happened. So finally, we knew the truth.

These are things I still remember:

- Water hoses. They were along and across every street, so that workers could thoroughly wash down the pavement.

- Plenty of red wine. Every little shop was packed floor to ceiling with boxes of red wine. -

- Rumour had it that red wine reduced the effects of radiation poisoning. Of course, no one really knew for sure. But Уbetter safe than sorry.Ф

- Long lists of additional buses and trains *leaving* Kyiv.

- Public showers.  Usually they were open Monday to Saturday from 10 in the morning until 10 at night. Now every existing public shower was operational 24/7.

- Official incompetence. Everyone in Kyiv scrambled to find dosimeters, or radiation detectors, desperately accosting friends, retired military men, and occasional street sellers. The few that were found turned out to be old, shabby museum pieces. Those that actually did work displayed technical data that was totally meaningless to non-military personnel.

- Widespread panic. It was the perpetual state of everyone in Kyiv. Railway tickets back home were the most valued treasures.

- Lots of rumors. Everyone had an opinion and they were sure they were right. But nobody really knew anything for sure. News from the west was blocked, and the soviet regime was not exactly forthcoming with facts or helpful information.

Much time has passed since then. The world has mostly forgotten about Chornobyl, although its effects still linger, and will for many years to come. A half-life is a long time.

The nuclear disaster at Chornobyl caused many people to lose their lives, or their health. But, for the survivors, life goes on.

To me Kyiv is still beautiful Е the golden church domes, the blue water of the river Dnipro, the green trees. And of course, gorgeous girls everywhere.

Best of all, though, the soviet regime had its own melt down Е just a few years after the meltdown in Reactor #4 in Chornobyl ruined my beautiful spring visit to Kyiv.

(c) Victor Sergeyev, 2016
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