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These documents are brought to the editor of the magazine “Rodina” relatives of the writer-veteran Kim Kostenko. In the mid 1960-ies Kostenko worked in “Komsomolskaya Pravda” and appeared in the center of the scandal surrounding the publication by Arkady Sakhnin “In flight and after.” The newspaper then took a swing at the legendary, caressed by the authorities of the Director of the whaling fleet “Soviet Ukraine” Alexei Solyanik. Proceeding rapidly sunk to the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU.
the end of the article “In flight and after the” in “Komsomolskaya Pravda”, 21 July 1965
a month and a half I was among the whalers. I support the four most serious charges they impose on A. Solyanik.
First. Utter disregard for people, their dignity, interests, health, life. A convincing example is pre-planned and totally unprepared yield in the tropics, which brought the victims.
Second. Boundless ambition, bragging, showing off, despite the failure of the plan to important section, mismanagement, heavy losses, the release of substandard production, heaps of spare parts for decades, etc.
Third. A rough clip of criticism, punishment for criticism as a method to maintain the privacy of your own failures and own tyranny.
Fourth. Malpractice, in particular unacceptable nepotism and illegal expenditure of funds.
From a Memorandum of the Executive Secretary of the editorial office of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” Kim Kostenko in the office
According to the decision of the editorial Board August 3, 1965, I traveled to the city of Odessa to participate in the meeting of the Bureau of the Odessa regional Committee of the party, discussing article by A. Sakhnin, “In flight and after”, published in “Komsomolskaya Pravda” on 21 July.
Before the Bureau on the morning of 4 August, I met with the first Secretary of Odessa regional Committee of party tov. Tit. This meeting lasted exactly four minutes. Tov. Tit all kind tried to show that the unwanted conversation with me and to listen to the opinion of the editorial Board about this article he did not intend. After the first spoken phrase, he said: “You have printed unsolicited material. The article is distorted, all the facts are false”.
Talked to me comrade. Tit emphasized rude, dismissive tone.
on the same day in two hours, a meeting of the Bureau. The report made by comrade. Soldatov (Chairman of the Commission. – Ed.) the Bureau consisted of five sections. Refuting the charge tov. Solyanik in the “bragging, showing off, despite the failure of the plan to important section, mismanagement, heavy losses, the release of substandard production, reservoir spare parts,” the speaker gave a detailed picture of the implementation of the production plan of the whaling fleet.
Understood the charge tov. Hydrochloric��ka “in a totally unprepared way out in the tropics, which brought victims”. Instead of details to answer the question, it was planned in advance, a trip to the tropics and as the fleet was preparing for this trip, the reporter in great detail was to answer the question, whether economically justified this trip to the tropics, although, as you know, in the article by A. Sakhnin single word not disputed the justification of this campaign. < >
Examining the charge tov. Solyanik “in the rough clamp of criticism, punishment for criticism”, the speaker in General has recognized the correct facts given in the article.
Referring to the abuse of power, unacceptable nepotism and illegal expenditure of means tov. Solanka, the Commission recognized that the wife of comrade. Do Solyanik was appointed to the position of engineer-dosimetrist kitobazy, and that was a separate statement from the whalers and managers that “it is sometimes in working hours in manufacturing were absent”.
< >the conclusions of the Commission stated that the author made, in many cases, a biased approach to the presentation of the material, the tone of the article and the General thrust brought more harm than good that the article has caused political damage to our country.
not surprisingly, after such a report, speaking for the first comrade. Solyanik cheerfully reported about the production progress of the fleet, interspersing his speech with boastful phrases “I as the most experienced whaler”, “upon my shoulders rests the whole fleet”; speech by comrade. Solyanik made up as follows: “With the Commission’s conclusions I agree, and the article can not agree, it is wrong on many facts and did not bring good.”
< >I Think it necessary to note that during the session of the regional Committee was allowed rude, offensive remarks and statements addressed to the author of the article tov. Sakhnin and attended the meeting of the editorial staff of “Komsomolskaya Pravda”, and presided over the meeting, comrade. The bird made no attempt to stop it.
acting on the instructions of the editorial Board, during a meeting of the regional Committee I asked for the floor to inform the Bureau about some of the letters received from Odessa, and containing additional facts about the wrong actions of the comrade. Solyanik. During my speech, some members of the Bureau rudely interrupted me, I jumped up, demanding to recognize the erroneous publication of the article. I’ve been twice to refer to tov. The bird with the request to provide me the opportunity to speak. However, he did not call to order any of the violate the rules of the meeting.
In conclusion of the meeting comrade. Bird announced the decision of the Bureau: for being rude with subordinates and inappropriate leadership tov. Solanco to declare reprimand with entering in the registration card, is possible to leave a comrade. Solyanik in his post of the General captain-Director of the flotilla. Regarding the article “flight and after”, the Bureau considered it wrong, discrediting the Communist labor collective. The Bureau noted that the editorial Board of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” made haste, having published this article without checking what it was decided to inform the Central Committee of the CPSU.
As a Communist, convinced that the decision of Bureau of the Odessa regional Committee of the party about tov. Solyanik is unduly soft, it cannot contribute to the upbringing of Soviet youth in the spirit of integrity and intolerance to violations of the Leninist norms and principles of our life.
member of the editorial Board of “Komsomolskaya Pravda”, the Executive Secretary of the editorial Board K. Kostenko August 6, 1965
condensed From the transcript of the meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU of October 19, 1965
Present: comrades Brezhnev, Podgorny, Shelepin, Demichev, Suslov, Andropov, Ponomarev, fists, Rudakov, Ustinov. From Odessa: vols. Tit, Nazarenko, Denisenko, Hernych, Solyanik. From the editors of “Komsomolskaya Pravda”: the vols ravens, Kostenko, Sakhnin; the Minister Ishkov, the answer. KPK controller Vologzhanin.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– We would like to tell you, comrade. Solyanik. We don’t want to remove what you have done in the past. It made a lot. But you know very well that not everything went smoothly. We’ve told them more forgiving. But not everything can be forgiven.
Not one phenomenon catches the whales. Thousands of people work selflessly to carry out the task of the state. You created all the conditions to ensure that you can successfully manage a team. We’ve surrounded you with honor, has awarded you the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. However, the real leader should be the courtesy, the simplicity in dealing with people. You do it all correctly and evenly combined. Dominated often the conceit, the arrogance. And this, as you know, always leads to errors. And this is the result that all of this has led not to the podium of honour, and here, in the hall for the meeting.
some companies, for example, in steel mills, too, are the conditions not better. I myself, as a teenager, Martin worked with his father. Sometimes, standing at the fiery furnace, could not breathe, some of the workers will direct you to the hose, doused with cold water, it becomes a little easier. My father, asks: well, son, breathe? Yes, breathe, respond. And for this work we received seventy cents. But on earth, much is being done to improve conditions. And the whaling fleet? I was amazed when I read everything. How is it – no ventilation, no light cooling clothing for sailors? Really it was difficult for the Ministry to think about it beforehand? In open-hearth furnaces the temperature is also high, but there are people dying because they think of their faces. Take it to the tip��, comrade. Solyanik, to very serious consideration.
Again, many things we could forgive the technical shortcomings of the vehicles, insufficient preparedness for the flight in the tropics, poor equipping them both. But one thing you need to say firmly: ignorance and rudeness of people do not tolerate. You this is a sacred rule I forgot. We could forgive the fact of admission of your wife for the post of engineer (another character hanging out with you there for a few months in the ocean) if all else was good. But the fact of the matter that is not only your fault. The most important thing – you have been entrusted with a large team and manage this team, you become bad, even in the moment when one ugorayu, falls, two, three, you’re not going with the party comrades, with NGOs, with trade Union is not consulted, has not shown a human approach.
We really wanted to preserve you as a leader. But everything has a face. And the Central Committee now has to decide what’s more important, what is more useful to keep you on Director or release.
I Must say, and to the Ministry of the fishing industry. If that is the case, then he should seriously think about. Selection of personnel in the flotilla is at least strange. But it had to do not only Solyanik. Here it is necessary to podsumowanie in Odessa.
Replica Tit:
We are already doing, Leonid Ilyich.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– And the people are good, they are ready for everything. Once the head offers to remain in the tropics, the staff was willing to stay to complete the plan. But you, comrade. Solyanik had all of this in advance to think, to make the corresponding permutation of people to select the most keen to work in difficult conditions. And you didn’t. Why it was necessary to build the pool and do not let go of people? Who are you? It would be better to do the opposite: let people swim in this pool, and you stand back and be happy that people with such conditions. This rudeness, not a good deed, comrade. Solyanik. People will not forgive, neither Brezhnev, nor exceptions, nor Solanco. And that more techniques were arranged. Somewhere, you see, has borrowed the experience with vodka, brandy. On the occasion of their birthday lunch arranged for the team, and then the money is kept.
Tov. Solyanik:
That’s not true, Leonid Brezhnev.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– Well, maybe that isn’t true, we will not go into details. Thank sometimes dizzy. Arrogant, apparently, Yes, Solyanik? And he was a good leader. Now the fleet prepared for the next flight? (Addressing Iscove.)
Tov. Ishkov:
Leonid Ilyich, the state Committee of fishing industry of all the preparations of the flotilla are constantly kept under control. Solyanik has always been a respected captain, a very able leader. And what happens now, ��La us very hard.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– we are in the mood to write you a little bit, comrade. Ishkov. I had time to pull up Solyanik, to help him to get better.
Tov. Ishkov:
– There have to say Leonid Ilyich that some of the facts on a different look when they are checked. We conducted a detailed check, talked in detail with many people of the flotilla and found that the article not so written, as in fact, no one in a faint did not fall.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– We’re not too small, comrade. Ishkov, we are all adults and understand when people are falling into a swoon, and when not falling. The fact that something is said with podsvetom, this is what we do not need to say. We will find the opportunity to talk about it separately. But this is the other side of the case. And now we want to talk about the main thing: about those abnormal phenomena that occurred on the flotilla.
Sit down, comrade. Ishkov. Tov. Tit, what do you say?
Tov. Chickadee:
– Now we take all measures to rectify the shortcomings. Now comrade. Solyanik very carefully consults with the party, trade Union, Komsomol activists, there is often a lot of talking with people. He has changed completely. That’s why the Odessa regional Committee of the party found possible to leave a comrade. Solyanik on a post of the General captain-Director of fleet, and on behalf of the Odessa regional Committee I would ask the secretaries of the Central Committee of the CPSU tov to believe. Solanko and leave it to the office.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– Yes, it’s a tough decision we take. But, after weighing all the facts, for the purpose of education, the Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee decided to release you, comrade. Solyanik, from the post of the General captain-Director of the flotilla. I think this is a good school and he will consider. In the decision, I think it is necessary to specify and Iscove to inadequate attention to the preparation of the flotilla, it is necessary to oblige the Ministry to take all necessary measures to restore order in the fleet and report to the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU.
Tov. Solyanik:
– Leonid Brezhnev, comrade secretaries of the Central Committee, please consider my wish. I deeply thought of it and all agree. I ask only one thing: to allow me to go swimming. I’m fourteen years of swimming, thirty-five years on the bridge, and leave this job I would have been very difficult.
Tov. Brezhnev:
– with regard to future work, then this may the regional Committee of the party think. Of course, Solyanik should not be without work any day. Let the lead ships, let it work, but with the known reduction – of course, in the office it makes no sense to send.
Tov. Podgorny:
I understood that, of course, comrade. Solanco should be allowed to go in swimming. Maybe we should give him the whaling and assume command.
Tov. Brezhnev:
Well, this may in Odessa will solve.
the Leaders of the CPSU supported the “Komsomolskaya Pravda”, but the fate of its chief editor Yuri Voronov, the whole story has affected not the best way. Instead of the expected transfer on a high position in the “Truth” he was sent on 16 years as a correspondent of a major newspaper of the country in the GDR. So, he never forgave Solyanik.
