The following is a translated special report from the head of the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR for Kyiv and Kyiv region L. Bykhov to the first secretary of the Kyiv City Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine Yu. Yelchenko regarding the growing panic among visiting British students in connection with the Chernobyl accident. The students, who were on an extended stay to study the Russian language in Kyiv, were concerned enough for their safety to discuss going back home. For reasons not apparent in the message, the Ukrainian KGB made efforts, through intermediaries, to dissuade the students from departing the Soviet Union, with suggestions that the risk of staying was overblown by Western media.
Somewhat chillingly, but not surprisingly, we learn that the KGB has been monitoring the private conversations of the students, and those of the group spokesman, US-born Hank Birnbaum. Using their “operational means,” Bykhov lets Yelchenko know that while the decision of whether to leave or not is up in the air, their concerns and attitudes are being monitored all the while. Similar monitoring is referenced earlier on, referred to as “our capabilities,” during heated discussions on what next steps to take.
Spoiler alert: The students all headed home on 1 May 1986, according to reports still floating around the Internet.
[no earlier than 30 April 1986]
Secret
Copy No. 1
To the first secretary of the Kyiv City Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine Yu. N. Yelchenko (Kyiv)
Regarding visiting British students of Russian language courses.
Due to the occurrence on April 29, 1986 of wild rumors among the students of Russian language courses from Great Britain (85 people) located in Kyiv on the premises of the Kyiv Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages or living in the Mir Hotel of the BMMT [Bureau of International Youth Tourism] “Sputnik”, regarding the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Office of the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR for Kyiv and the Kyiv Oblast reached out to the group leader, Hank Birnbaum, year of birth 1959, US citizen. The foreigner correctly perceived the information brought to him, stated that he had no reason not to believe the official sources and officials at “Sputnik”. At the same time, he emphasized that the students make use of the information they receive from the broadcasts of various Western radio stations, as well as by telephone from relatives, relatives, and foreign missions.
In the current situation, many listeners expressed a desire to return to their families due to the alleged danger to their health. The group spokesman assured the management of the BMMT “Sputnik” that he would explain the true state of affairs to the course participants and bring the information he received from “Sputnik” management to all of his countrymen.
That evening, at 6 p.m., he gathered the group (for dinner) and in a somewhat misconstrued form provided the information about the conversation with the chairman of the Bureau, Comrade N.I. Kushnir, reporting that the Soviet authorities are convinced that there is no immediate danger at the present time, although he added that it will be unknown further on. At the same time, he hid from the listeners the he’d had a telephone conversation with the director of the Progressive Tours travel agency, Mr. Temple, who confirmed that there was no danger, and asked that the students remain calm and continue their studies.
As a result of the heated discussion, fueled by new messages from Western radio about the danger of what had taken place, which the students had been talking about, 50 people opted to leave the USSR. Because of our capabilities, we reached out again at the same meeting, and it was suggested to once again discuss their further actions and intentions to leave the USSR. This was the reason for the group’s next meeting after dinner, scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Prior to the meeting, the foreigners would be once again listening to western radio stations about news and events related to the accident at the nuclear power plant, and then discuss the situation as a group.
Taking into account the fact that the nature of the conversation between Comrade N. I. Kushnir and Birnbaum was not fully brought to the group, before the beginning of the meeting we proposed Comrade Kushnir would speak at the meeting to explain the true state of affairs to the course participants and inform about the position of the director of the Progressive Tours tour company. However, after consulting with the first secretary of the Komsomol City Committee, Comrade Kushnir did not go to the meeting. The meeting was held in the same spirit as the first one, with translators present at the meeting unsuccessfully trying to convince the foreigners that there is no danger.
As a result, 44 people voted to immediately leave the USSR, 16 voted for continuing their studies, and the remaining 25 said that they would once again listen to the latest news from Western radio stations and make a final decision the next day.
At present, we are monitoring the situation in the group of students of the Russian language courses through operational means.
Chief of the KGB Department of the Ukrainian SSR for Kyiv and Kyiv region
Translating History 