A
perfect flight on a Boeing 737-300. Arrived at Budapest at 12 midday. Victor arrived at the reception lounge exactly on time at 1:30 pm as arranged. The same plane took off at 2:30 pm and arrived at Borispol airport, Kiev at 5:05 pm local time. (Two hours ahead of British Summer time). We passed through slow somber-faced passport control officers then to more somber-faced custom offices and eventually into the airport vestibule to be met by Dr. Vasiliy Pasechnik.Suddenly the vast approach area of the airport was cleared, no one could enter or leave and in swept fifteen cars at speed with headlights blazing. A long black limousine carried the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia into the airport.
Then Victor and I were driven by Dr. Pasechnik the 160 km to Chernihiv. The road is ruler straight and flat except for its bumpy surface.
A police car loudspeaker ordered us into the inside lane and the long black limousine and its escort sped past on its return to Kiev. Another police car stopped us for overtaking on a bridge--a warning was given instead of the usual fine. There are police everywhere.
After two hours the golden domes of the churches of Chernihiv appeared. Dr. Pasechnik drove us straight to his second floor flat in a concrete block of flats. There was a warm welcome from Drs. Anna Yakubova and Natalya Zenchenko--the Troika
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who care for the disabled children of the region.
Holuptsi, a beef in cabbage leaves was served with spring onions and horseradish stained red with beet root. Glasses were filled and refilled with Vodka for toasts of welcome, everlasting friendship and understanding all around the table. Dr. Pasechnik gave us his home for our use. It was evident we were no longer regarded as visitors from another world but partners in a project to relieve the immense problems of Ukraine resulting from the nuclear disaster of 1986. Family photographs were shown and Victor showed the Chernobyl Web Page on his laptop computer.
Financial, medical and personal aid is beginning to arrive from the United States of America through sea containers and the United Kingdom through lorry convoys. The relief on the faces of the three doctors is silently evident. Tomorrow we shall see the results.
Maurice Frohn