51. Far from Chernobyl, in Moscow, at the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, scientists were brainstorming, solved the most complex scientific and technical issues, and discussed every detail of the sarcophagus that they intended to build over the fourth destroyed Unit of the nuclear power plant.
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17. First meeting with journalists at the press center of the USSR Ministry of the Foreign Affairs on May 6, 1986. Chairman of the Government Commission for taking measures to eliminate the accident and determination of the causes of the accident, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR B. E. Shcherbina, leading experts introduce Soviet and foreign correspondents to the situation at the Chernobyl NPP. There were many questions. The destroyed Unit 4 of the Chernobyl NPP still continues to ooze radiation, and therefore the latest news, accurate information is expected all over the world. Unfortunately, due to the uncertainty of the first days, the lack of this very information began to turn for evil for us. It was necessary not only to refute all sorts of rumors and conjectures that arose the more often and more absurd, the further away from Chernobyl. The Western press took full advantage of our mistakes. A flood of monstrous nonsense flooded the yellow press, many radio and TV stations. Not all of them, even respectable media, resisted from publishing «cranberries» in those days, and did not take the opportunity to play their game on our misfortune.
Translator’s note: «cranberries», Russian «клюква» - a term that denotes the most stereotypical representations of foreigners about the mysterious Russian soul and culture, as well as their image in all sorts of foreign movies (Hollywood, as a rule), games, books, and so on.
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On August 8-9, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N.I. Ryzhkov and a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, chairman of State Security Committee of the USSR V.M. Chebrikov visited the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Here, right on the industrial site, the results of large-scale and aggressive measures taken by many organizations and departments were clearly visible.
@drunkardonjunkyard we just got a photo of Ryzhkov in Chernobyl, now all we need is a picture of Cherbikov too. ;-) Btw I remember you telling me about Chebrikov visiting the power plant but I honestly don’t remember where you read that..??
Huuuuge thanks to @green-ann for offering these translations, that’s a LOT of work.
Source: Чернобыльский репортаж
