Oleksiy Mykhailychenko, former football player and head coach of the Kyiv football club Dynamo, shared his memories of the events that took place immediately after the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. He recounted that the players learned about the accident on the same day, but this information reached them not from official sources, but through acquaintances.
This is reported by Finway
“We found out through acquaintances. By the 26th, all of Kyiv knew that it had happened. No one knew what it was – you can’t hold it, you can’t see it. But it is very, very harmful, and many who had the opportunity immediately left Kyiv. But the authorities kept everything quiet.”
Ban on leaving and training under threat
According to Mykhailychenko, the Soviet authorities not only concealed the scale of the tragedy but also banned the Dynamo players from leaving Kyiv. This decision was explained by a desire to demonstrate stability and principle. The players were forced to train daily, despite the health risks from possible radiation exposure.
Mykhailychenko recalls that the players trained in full gear even in hot weather, trying to protect themselves as much as possible: they went out on the field in warm suits and hats, fully aware of the danger that could not be seen or felt directly.
Events surrounding Dynamo and other incidents
Less than a week after the disaster, on May 2, 1986, Dynamo Kyiv won the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup, but the players were forced to return to Kyiv despite the alarming situation in the city.
Additionally, in January, journalist Nadiya Ametova reported on a conflict between Oleksiy Mykhailychenko and a local plumber. According to her, the incident was recorded on video by the head of the housing maintenance department, but shortly after a conversation with Mykhailychenko, the video disappeared. Mykhailychenko himself claims that the conflict arose due to a previous dispute between the plumber and his wife when there was no water in their house, although water supply had already been restored in other houses.
The plumber involved in the incident received positive feedback from residents for his diligent work: he comes daily from Hostomel and often works late into the night.
It is worth noting that the Chernobyl disaster was preceded by a series of events that led to the large-scale tragedy. Ukrainians who participated in the aftermath of the accident still remember those events as some of the most difficult in their lives.