We remember... Yuri Zakharenko

Yuri Zakharenko worked as Minister of Internal Affairs a little more than a year. His conflict with Lukashenko evolved gradually.

Yuri Zakharenko: Disappearance or Political Terrorism?

Yuri Nikolaevich recalled: “I was probably one of the few who would tell him the truth. I would tell the unwanted truth, the truth that would hurt his vanity…. When we talked with the President, he told me: “You have to carry out any of my orders.” I said, “Aleksandr Griegorievich, I will not shoot at people, I will not break the Constitution.” He reacted, “If you don’t implement an order of mine, then I will have you put in handcuffs.” This is the president’s style of governance. Weaker people gave in.

This was not just a confrontation of two styles of management. The underlying conflict resided in a difference of understanding on what role law and justice should play in the state, as well the role of the functionary. What is a civil servant: a manager hired by the people or a liegeman? A president’s subject – a “sovereign’s man?” as Yuri Sivakov, one of the subsequent Ministers of Interior, put it. This was a conflict of values and ideology. Simultaneously, it was an irreconcilable contradiction of people with diametrically opposite moral qualities. “Personally, I would never go on a scout patrol with Lukashenko,” used to say Yu. Zakharenko, “Because he is incapable of true male friendship and of pure relations… ” This man is capable of slander, deceit and any other gamble to achieve his conceited goals. Simultaneously, he is the biggest coward. He gains unspeakable pleasure, a jolt of energy, when it comes to violence and humiliation of human character. Lukashenko is pathologically vindictive.

The last straw that exasperated Zakharenko’s patience was his public protest against the decree of the President, which was to abolish privileges for the Ministry of Interior personnel. This was the reason for his resignation and the reason that resulted in his popularity among the police personnel. Lukashenko was terrified. His blatantly demonstrated his fear by sending an armed unit of the riot police OMON to the office on the day of the resignation, as if Yu.Zakharenko intended to defend himself by shooting until the last round. It was not one of the deputies who was appointed the acting Minister of Interior, as the case is when there is a temporary vacancy, but a confidante of the President, Security Council Secretary V. Sheiman. Lukashenko’s fear of Yuri Nikolaevich remained engrained in him and played a fatal role in the fate of the minister, who fell in disgrace.

People join the camp of the regime opposition for various reasons: some based on their ideological beliefs, others as a result of the logic of political struggle. Yu. Zakharenko joined the opposition to defend his dignity as an officer and as a human. The country’s luck must be drained if a person has no other choice but to join the opposition politicians to defend his good name. This was a political, human, and moral choice between good and evil, between dignity and corruptness.

The ex-Minister joined the United Civil Party (UCP), was elected to the party leadership: the National Committee and the Political Council. His first attack against the regime was his appeal to the 13th Supreme Soviet.

Yu. Zakharenko actively participated in the Lukashenko-Supreme Soviet opposition on the eve of the November 1996 referendum; was involved in the organization of the Congress in Defense of Democracy; was a close comrade-in-arms of the Vice Speaker of Parliament G.Karpenko.

His irrepressible temperament resulted in his active participation in the presidential elections campaign, staged by the opposition in spring 1999. He joined Mikhail Chigir’s team, toured the country, organized signature collection groups, and built pockets of resistance to fight the regime.

Power agencies played a crucial role in fighting the dissidents. General Yu. Zakharenko was well respected by the Ministry of Interior staff. He socialized with officers, tried to appeal to the senior personnel of the law enforcement agencies. The ex-Minister established the Union of Officers, which in his opinion was to play a key role at a decisive moment.

Yu.Zakharenko was turning into a person, who could be most dangerous for the regime at a critical moment. Someone in the country’s leadership lost it. He chose to launch a preemptive strike. Yu.Zakharenko disappeared…

By Valery Karbalevich

Yuri Nikolaevich called home about 10 p.m. to say he had parked the car and was coming home. The walk from the garage to the house takes about 10 minutes. Nevertheless, the family – his wife and two daughters, 15 and 23, never saw him. Zakharenko was wearing a brown coat and dark pants; he had a mobile phone on him.

At the moment of this issue’s publication, no information about the disappeared general has been available. His spouse Olga Borisovna, who has been going without sleep for 96 hours, agreed to answer the questions of the Imya correspondent.

– Olga Borisovna, did anyone warn your husband that repressive actions could be taken against him?

– Not everyone is a scumbag! His personnel, the KGB, the MI, they all warned him: “Yuri Nikolaevich, leave immediately or there will be an assassination, or you will be imprisoned.” There was a warning to Sheiman to do something with Zakharenko within a 20-day period. 24 hours prior to the disappearance, Yuri Zakharenko was trailed for 90 minutes by two foreign-make cars. When he got tired of this, he drove into a dead alley, approached one of the cars. “Haven’t learnt to work properly yet, have you?”

– Did you talk with Yuri Nikolaevich about leaving the country?

I was constantly telling him: “Yura, he will in the end either kill you or put in prison. Leave him alone!” However Yura would reply: “I will not leave my Belarus and will keep my head high….” Yura was not afraid of him. No one dares to say he is a murderer. Lukashenko’s regime is a horrible power, it will resort to any action necessary, even eliminating decent people. Majsenya and Karpenko are not around, where is Vinnikova? Still, everyone thinks and hopes it will not affect them. This is what my Yura also thought…

By Sergey Sapran,
“Imya,” #18, May 13, 1999

Former Defense Minister of Belarus Pavel Kozlovsky believes the disappearance of Yuri Zakharenko is another attempt of the authorities to eliminate their opponents. “Their power is paralyzed by fear,” commented Pavel Kozlovsky on the situation in the country. “The strange death of Gennady Karpenko, the disappearance of Tamara Vinnikova several days after she gave the interview, in which she talked about arms trade. Now it is Yuri Zakharenko.

This is how the regime is trying to cleanse the political field in Belarus. The authorities cannot oppose the opposition in any other way. I am certain.”

By Anna Sous’,
Narodnaya Volya, May 12, 1999.

– The smell of “death squads” is becoming more evident – it is a formally clandestine, but nevertheless a very demonstrative terror. If the numerous facts of mysterious physical assaults (Yuri Khaschevatsky, Anatoly Lebedko, Galina Drakokhrust, Slavomir Adamovich, and many others) can be, if stretched, qualified as moderate political hooliganism, the disappearance of Tamara Vinnikova, the sudden death of Gennady Karpenko, and now the disappearance of Yuri Zakharenko are something different. It seems they came after us, ladies and gentlemen…”

By Marina Koktysh,
Narodnaya Volya, May 12, 999.

Belarusian opposition committee declared the former Minister of the Ministry for Internal Affaires Yuri Zakharenko, who disappeared 7 May 1999, kidnapped.

The witnesses of the abduction informed the public committee investigating all the facts and circumstances that five out of six people were waiting for Yuri Zakharenko in a dark Zhiguli car, the other three were outside. They attacked Yuri Zakharenko as he passed by.

“While the law-enforcement agencies are conducting the investigation, the opposition will investigate on its own,” stated the committee.

On behalf of Yuri Zakharenko’s wife the Committee requested the International Human Rights League to conduct the investigation. Mr. Volchek, the former investigator of the prosecutor’s office, who heads the committee, said: “International publicity of Yuri Zakharenko’s case will push Belarusian authorities to implement a more active investigation in respect of the former minister.”

Two days ago a press conference dedicated to the mysterious disappearance of Yuri Zakharenko, the ex-minister of the Ministry for Internal Affairs, was held in Mikhail Chigir’s campaign headquarters. The general is known to have disappeared late at night on May 7 and has not been heard of since. Having started the search with unusual enthusiasm, the law-enforcement authorities have suddenly lost their spirit. The list of investigation procedures performed takes only three lines of a routine report: “The scene was examined, notebooks belonging to Zakharenko collected from his flat, several relatives and close acquaintances of the general questioned regarding the lifestyle of Yuri Nikolaevich.” As anticipated, the law-enforcement authorities seem to single out the version of some “criminal lead in the case of citizen Zakharenko’s abduction.” The investigation allegedly possessed information that Yuri Nikolaevich was in close contact with some economic groups – hence, a plausible motive of his disappearance.

Is it true to the fact? Hardly. When such a prominent person disappears, the authorities have to give some comment. The authorities are not adverse to charging Zakharenko with something incapable of proof and, consequently, disgracing his name. This scenario is too well known.

Representatives of several opposition political groups insist on purely “political motives” of the general’s disappearance. Furthermore, having thoroughly studied Zakharenko’s activities regarding the establishment of the Belarusian Union of Officers, as well as the pressure he was subjected to recently, the organizers of the press conference directly pointed to the alleged originator of the abduction. Anatoly Lebedko, one of the leaders of United Civil Party, commented on Zakharenko’s disappearance as an “abduction based on political motives.” Vladimir Borodach made a more blunt statement aimed at the authorities. In reply to the question: “Who might have organized Zakharenko’s abduction?” (assuming it happened at night on May 7 in the area of Zhukovsky Prospect) the former officer of Spetsnaz special forces declared: “The involvement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is out of the question. Firstly, it would have been unethical. Secondly, there would have surely been a leak from them by now. The possibility of the KGB involvement is also minimum, as Lukashenko has not yet managed to ruin its apparatus. They still have seasoned staff members there, who know what it might lead to.” Thus, the only organization capable of fulfilling this political order is, according to Vladimir Borodach, the Security Council.

Obviously, such statements can be made only on the basis of serious evidence pointing to the involvement of this particular organization. Although Mr. Borodach has not supplied any concrete arguments, I can see the reasoning behind his charges. As we know, the Security Council was formed straight after Lukashenko was elected President. At first the observers assessed this measure as a trivial attempt of the President to find a position for his election campaign comrade-in-arms, special services officer Victor Sheiman. Very soon it became clear that the Security Council intends to head and coordinate all national security services, as well as to become the main analytical center for he existing regime. Following the notorious opposition between Sheiman, the head of the Security Council, and Valerie Kez, the acting Chairman of the KGB, which resulted in the defeat of the latter, the newly formed organization became an undeniable and sole leader in field of the Belarusian political and economic investigation. It is the task of the Security Council to control political activity of the population and supervise all special actions aimed at reinforcing the position of the present Government.

“The chances are,” Vladimir Borodach proceeds, “a member of the Security Council carried out the abduction with the help of an unlisted organization.” The unlisted organization means a “peculiar group of military and police retirees who are paid to carry out such delicate orders.”

The theory of Special Forces’ involvement deserves more attention. For the time being the public pays little attention to an important aspect of the political situation – the functioning of anti-constitutional and illegal organizations under aegis of the Security Council. We also have to take into account the increased political tension.

However, it is still difficult to say whether Zakharenko’s abduction is part of training exercises of such structures. Nevertheless, as Borodach said: “We have reliable information that a special group headed by Naumov was formed under the Security Council. It consists mainly of non-indigenous population. Practically speaking, these people have on the territory of Belarus no interests other than money they get for fulfilling political contracts. People of this kind will stop at nothing. Though, often their future is also easily predicted: at the bottom of deep graves. Their contractors eliminate them trying to cover their tracks.”

The authorities seem to play an all-or-nothing game, attempting to bring to “reason” the opposition political and election activities. Other democratic leaders are likely to become the victims of their provocations, too. In particular, the family of Stanislav Bogdankevich, the ex-chairman of the National Bank, and the leader of democratic opposition himself, was subjected to massive psychological pressure. The methods are the same – sweeping calumnious accusations of committing felony, “recommendations” to leave Belarus while still healthy, warnings about possible arrest, and so on.

The recent developments once again prove that today’s regime will stop at nothing to prolong its term. The words: “I came in earnest and for long”, repeatedly said by Aleksandr Lukashenko acquire today a more sinister meaning.

By Mikhail Podoliak,
“Belarusian Newspaper” #85, May 14, 1999

According to Vladimir Borodach, one of the members of the committee, the area has many places where a body can be hidden – underground rivers, sewage wells, 15 to 20 meters deep… They are hard to examine without special equipment. However, the members of the committee are planning to obtain the necessary equipment within the next two or three days and start examining the sewage wells.

From our own correspondent,
“Belaruskaya Maladzezhnaya” # 19, May 14, 1999

In the evening of May 7, 1999, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Republic of Belarus, Yuri Zakharenko was reported missing. Major-General Yuri Zakharenko was the head the National Security Committee of NEC.

Having seen from inside the vices of today’s regime, the former Minister of Internal Affairs declined the role of a minion and time-server and changed sides to become a member of the opposition. Recently he has been working on establishing the Belarusian Union of Officers, and was appointed a proxy of presidential candidate Mikhail Chigir. The official authorities could not tolerate these activities of Yuri Zakharenko. There was an attempt to bring dubious charges against him, he was kept under surveillance, and threatened physically. These facts provide the grounds to assume that someone from the secret service abducted Yuri Zakharenko – the organization has blossomed abundantly under the ruling regime.

The National Executive Committee demands expeditious measures be taken in order to find and free Yuri Zakharenko.

“Narodnaya Volia” #85,
May 14, 1999

On Friday, May 7, 2001, General Yuri Zakharenko, one of the democratic movement leaders, former Minister of Internal Affairs, disappeared under strange circumstances. There are reasons to suppose political motives are behind the incident. It is consistent with the KGB’s plan, not acknowledged by the authorities, but aimed at neutralizing the opposition. The recent events prove that the plan not only exists, but is being executed as well.

In February Andrei Sannikov, Charter ’97 coordinator on international issues, ex-Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, was severely battered.

In March Victor Gonchar, Chairman of the Central Election Committee, former deputy Prime Minister, was arrested and subjected to torture.

In March Mikhail Chigir, a presidential candidate, former prime minister of Belarus, was subjected to brutal harassment during his arrest.

In April, there came a sudden death of Gennady Karpenko, a member of the Democratic Coordinating Rada, Vice Speaker of the Supreme Soviet.

In April, Tamara Vinnikova was pronounced missing, ex-Chairwoman of the National Bank, and shortly before her disappearance reported important information to the mass media.

In April Arnold Pechersky, Head of the Sadruzhnast Trade Union, died in a car accident under strange circumstances.

At the end of April, Slavomir Adamovich, a journalist and secretary of the Minsk City Election Commission, was beaten by unidentified individuals.

On April 25, during a peaceful action dedicated to the Chernobyl anniversary the riot police OMON severely battered dozens of young people in Grodno.

The authorities are carrying out a campaign of intimidation against the presidential campaign participants. About fifteen hundred people were subjected to arrests, fines, and warnings by the Prosecutor’s office and the KGB.

We appeal to international organizations, to parliaments and governments of democratic countries to influence the Belarusian authorities to put an end to the terror and intimidation directed towards the opposition, protecting democratic principles in a peaceful way.

“Naviny”, #52, May 15, 1999

Surprisingly, in spite of such a serious felony – the use of mafia money in the election campaign – charges have not been filed. Yuri Zakharenko is part of trivial search case. Though Yuri Nikolaevich is neither a private, nor a sergeant, but a general. The actions of the authorities raise suspicions that secret services are involved in the abduction of such an active opponent of the ruling regime - Zakharenko has information about the flow of funds outside of the state budget.

The wife of the ex-minister, Olga Borisovna, speaks about the animal fear of secret services that lives inside Belarusian citizens. For example, in her apartment people are afraid to speak out when discussing her husband’s abduction, they write notes and destroy(!) them after reading them.

Are we back in 1937, or, as they say, back to where we belong?

By Valery Shchukin,
“Narodnaya Volya” #91, May 25, 1999

“Waiting is the most terrible thing. Uncertainty is even worse,” says Olga Borisovna, the wife of ex-Minister of Internal Affairs, Yuri Zakharenko, “A month has passed since my husband disappeared. Nothing has changed so far – I do not even know if this incident is being investigated officially. At least I do not feel it is. Militia visited my house only once when I filed a statement about the disappearance of Yuri Nikolaevich and a case was initiated. In my opinion, those people in police uniform acted rather strangely. They asked me where we kept another gun belonging to Zakharenko, and the relatives about his sources of income. I think they stopped the investigation at that point… They are looking for damnatory evidence, rather than for a missing person.”

Frankly speaking, only his friends seem to look for Yuri Nikolaevich. They are constantly threatened. Volodya Borodach was warned several times that he would lose his head if did not stop his investigation. Some of those who were his friends, as Yura believed, turned cowardly and betrayed him, they do not even call.

Our elder daughter is deeply distressed. I fear she might have a heart attack… and our younger daughter tries to overcome this pain. My husband’s mother buried her elder son not long ago. Among us she is the person of courage. She tries to comfort me: “Olya, hold on, he will be back.” She subscribes to the “Narodnaya Volya,” and tries to follow every political event. I cannot read newspapers at all. I am scared to switch on television. I walk around, neither dead nor alive. I do not know how to live through this.

It is strange that everybody keeps silence. It is not a dog or a cat that got lost. It is a man! Probably, Zakharenko is not the last. The opponents will be sent to prison, to their graves.

People come to my house all the time, known and unknown to me. They talk in a low voice in this apartment. Sometimes it looks absurd: strangers come in and without saying a single word, write down what they want to say. A 10-year-old girl came the other day. She brought a note and burned it as soon as I read the text. It said that every step of my family members is being watched, that they are looking for some documents… I would not call it 1937. I would call it some African Republic in which one can get away with kidnapping… atrocity…

He was warned several times: “Yuri Nikolaevich, go away, they will always find a reason…” I asked him to be more careful, too. And he always replied that in his Belarus he would not keep his head down. That there is nothing to be afraid of…

A neighbor met me once in the street and said: “Has he stolen that much? Why not give it back…” Can you imagine, right in my face? At first I did not understand what she meant. When I did, I could only cry. How shall I explain to people that if Belarusian opposition had money, their opponents would have been in prison by then?

Not long ago a woman visited me, a clairvoyant. She kept telling me: “He is alive, he is alive.” I cry all the same, hardly get any sleep at night. Once I saw him in a dream. He was talking to me on the phone, and I could not understand what he wanted to say… In my daughter’s dream he was in a big house in a green meadow. There were people around him, all in plain clothes.

Last Thursday Italian Embassy sent to us, Yuri Nikolaevich and me, an invitation to their Day of the Republic celebrations. I took it and started crying. Later I got a grip on myself and decided to attend the event together with Karpenko’s wife. I could not stand it for long, though. The concert started and I became ill … now I think, “If the Italians sent an invitation in his name, maybe they do not know that he is missing. Now I am going to visit all the embassies and tell them. Maybe the West will defend him.”

This summer, as usual, we were going to visit friends during our vacations. Our silver wedding will be on August10. Now I do not want to talk about personal things. To talk about it is to think he is no longer alive. And I hope he is…

By Marina Koktysh,
“Narodnaya Volia” #103 of June 10, 1999

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen! Dear colleagues!

I did not have enough courage to make a speech in the cemetery or in the Academy of Sciences today. Only now I have decided to say a few words. The words which are in my heart.

I want to reply to Aleksandr Grigorievich, who made a show out of Gennady Dmitrievich’s funeral.

I want to reply to Ivan Ivanovich, who offered financial funding for Gennady Dmitrievich’s funeral.

I have no doubt he has financed us all.

I want to say in reply: “Who is guilty of Gennady Dmitrievich’s death?” Every individual who has chased him, and humiliated him through the mass media - television, radio, newspapers- all these years, is guilty. Those who threw him into a police “voronok”, took him to prison and courts, giving him a bad time. Those who stationed the guard at Gennady Dmitrievich’s ward, they are all responsible.

A string of political massacres are in progress.

Although they do not take us to Kuropaty yet, they destroy us politically. We have car “accidents” killing our best people; our best people commit suicide, or die, as it happened with Gennady Dmitrievich.

There must be only one reply to this regime – we will go to the very end. However hard Alexandr Grigorievich tries to intimidate us, we will not stop, even though our best people are thrown to prisons by the regime.

We will build our NEW BELARUS! Democratic, upholding the rule of law, and independent - this is the best memorial to Gennady Dmitrievich Karpenko.

“Narodnaya Volya” #114,
June 25, 1999.

Open letter to Aleksandr Lukashenko

Aleksandr Grigorievich! I am the mother of Yuri Nikolaevich Zakharenko – the former Minister of Internal Affairs. I have only one wish – give my Yura, my son, back. A mother’s heart tells me – you know where he is and what happened to him. You cannot but know it. I heard you so many times on TV, you said you are responsible for everything that is happening in Belarus.

I have had a hard life. At the age of 16 I was dragooned to Germany. I buried my husband too soon. I had only one comfort of my old age – my sons: the elder Volodia and the younger Yurochka. And then suddenly such grief – last year the elder one died. Now Yura is missing. I am left all alone. I have cried my eyes out. I can go to Volodia’s grave to mourn. As for Yurochka…

I spend my small pension allowance on phone bills. I call my daughter-in-law, Olya, in Minsk to ask if anybody has called, if she has heard any news. I call in the morning and at night. My last bill was for one and a half million. It is expensive…

Aleksandr Grigorievich, you also have your mother, she worries about you, too. Although you are President, for her you are her son first and foremost. They show you on TV every day. Do you know how it feels? I have a child, and then suddenly I do not. Hardly have I dried my tears, my second son is missing… If somebody could tell me that Yura is alive, that he is not buried, I would feel much better. I sleep haphazardly each night – wakeful and restless.

For days I hardly leave my place – only to go shopping or do some work in the kitchen garden – what if I miss his phone call? When I hear some noise at night – I run out to see if it is my son… But it is not…

It is so bitter to be alone – I am old and sick. I have worked all my life: looked after my children and grandchildren, they were the center of my life. They gave me so much joy. Yura always found something to do when he came to see me. You know what the country life is like: work from dawn to dusk. He was not afraid of any work, no matter how hard or how dirty. I remember he said once: “Mom, it (life) will be so hard without you…” It turned out the other way. I am here, and he is not. What shall I do with my aching soul? I had only one son left, and he is taken away from me. I wish they had taken me instead of Yurochka…

All the people in my village sympathize with him. They respected both my sons – they were always good to people. People always came to see Yura when he visited. And he tried to help everybody… When I go to a shop, people ask: “Have they found him? Is there any news?” What can I tell them, when I do not know anything myself. I can only cry. I have no strength left, only tears… I hope he is still alive… He has not killed anyone… never stolen anything… Why kill him?

I cannot sleep… I am afraid I would lose my sanity… I do not pass away… Pray God he will come back. I used to wait for him on the porch, used to cook for him.

I have always cherished my kids, always tried to keep them out of harm’s way. But I failed…

I went to fortune-tellers, they comforted me saying he is alive, and my heart tells me he is! I felt it at once when Volodia was in trouble.

Aleksandr Grigorievich! I have voted in your favor two times. I was told, “That President took care of your Yura, and you vote for him nonetheless.” My idea was – Lukashenko comes from a village, he is a simple man; he would make a good President…

Aleksandr Grigorievich, my only joy and hope in this world is to see my son before I die, just a glimpse of him. Let him go, issue the order. In God’s name! God will not forgive you if you do not. You have a mother, too. You have a wife and two sons. God forbid you to be left at an old age without children. Then you will understand me, but it will be too late…

“Narodnaya Volya” #159,
August 31, 1999

140 days ago the ex-Minister of Internal affairs Yuri Zakharenko was reported missing. When speaking about him, his wife Olga always cries. She does not want to think he is dead. Olga Borisovna hopes he will open the door of their apartment…

To say that I am restless is to say nothing. I understand that there is no point in asking the authorities to give my husband back. They know very well where he is and what happened to him. Nevertheless, the President’s mouthpieces keep telling bald lies that Zakharenko has eloped abroad with the money of the opposition. However, the opposition knows nothing about it. According to them, Zakharenko stole several carriages with Belarusian money to the Baltic States, or was disposed of by criminal forces…

It seems to become a Belarussian tradition to malign and eliminate people unwanted by the regime. Our “legal state” could find no room for Leonov, Chigir, Starovoitov, Kudinov, Klimov, but it easily found Articles of the Criminal Code and ill-grounded charges - the essence of the regime has become clear to many people. Somebody had to get rid of those people, to discredit them in public in order to obtain high-handedness and absolute power.

The twentieth century is coming to its end, and we live like the blind – afraid to make another step, the wrong move. We whisper that Vinnikova drowned, that Gonchar was murdered… Terrible…

I believe that Belarus has many decent, honest people who are concerned about the future of this country and the fate of such people as Zakharenko. I beg you to help me. Maybe somebody has heard, seen or knows something about my husband. Do not keep silent – tell me. Tomorrow your son, father or husband might be reported missing.

People, for God’s sake, speak out!

I am waiting for news day or night. I would be grateful for any information. My phone number is 224-05-79.

By Maria KOKTYSH,
“Narodnaya Volya” #176,
September 23, 1999

A strong personality. . . An officer. . . A man. . . In early spring two years ago I interviewed Yuri Zakharenko for the “Coffee Hour” column. Bellow is a small extract from our interview:

– Life of practically any person can be compared to Urfin Juce’s powder in Volkov’s fairy-tale “The Emerald City”. It has the habit to run out without having been of much service to its owner. Are not you afraid to spend your magic powder for nothing?

– I guess if for some reason it runs out, the final goal will be realized even without me being in this world.

– In the middle or at the end of their creative life period many famous people think they must write a memoir or some kind of a book describing their achievements. Have you had any intentions of this kind?

– I have. Though I want to go back to my profession of an investigator and write my last accusatory report. It is easy to guess who I refer to…

This was two years ago, maybe back then Zakharenko had some apprehension. I do not know. I do not want to believe that his words were prophetic… Who else, if not him, can write this accusatory report?

By Marina KOKTYSH,
“Narodnaya Volya”, #214,
November18, 1999

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