'Everybody twists my life': the first interview of Lyudmila Ignatenko after the series 'Chernobyl'

The HBO mini-series about the Chernobyl disaster has become the highest-rated series according to users of the IMDB website. However, his popularity turned into problems for the prototype of one of his main characters - Lyudmila Ignatenko, the wife of the firefighter Vasily, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the accident and received a lethal dose of radiation. Air force They took an exclusive interview with Lyudmila. We publish its text version.

Lyudmila tells a journalist Air forcethat in the summer of 2019, she moved from Kiev to the Ukrainian outback, fleeing the scrutiny of journalists. She also claims that HBO did not give written consent to the adaptation of her story.

Next, the story goes in the first person.

When I found out that there would be a film about me, I was both offended and unpleasant. Why not ask me, not talk to me, not prepare me as a person. Like, like this: we are making a film about you, about your husband. ”

After the release of the HBO "Chernobyl" series

Attacks on the apartment began. And to such an extent, it dawned that the journalists were substituting a foot at the door. And recorded the interview. But what can I say if I knew nothing about the film. She knew absolutely nothing. I found out from advertising that there was a movie about me. I was so beaten and killed, I did not have a second free. Received calls for calls. I had to leave my apartment in Kiev. Due to the fact that I was deprived of peace.

Since the summer of 2019, Lyudmila lives with her mother in the country.

Lyudmila and Vasily before the Chernobyl accident

I was given a kind of encouraging direction in Pripyat for a good study. I thought I went to heaven because it was a very beautiful city. Even in letters to her home she wrote: “Mom, how young are all the people! And there are a lot of young children - at each step, two, three children in each family.”

It was very nice to walk. The city was just surrounded by greenery.

We were with friends. In the hostel where the firemen lived. We sat and drank tea in the kitchen, then Vasya runs in. He is such a nimble, very, very nimble, as he began: "Tra-ta-ta-ta." I say: “Lord, what kind of tryndykha came running?” She also laughed. And he comes back and gives out: “You look that this tryndychikha did not become your husband”. I told him: "Oh, oh, where there."

And so we have since begun to meet since that evening, from that day.

We lived in Pripyat. Once he decided that we were going to his parents. And I'm not prepared, with a dark cherry manicure. Of course, everyone meets: "Oh, oh, oh, they brought it."

On the subject: As a professor from Minsk tried in vain to convince the authorities to save people after the Chernobyl accident

Then my father gives me bread and says: "Well, daughter in law, cut it." I take that bread and cut it simply on my hands. He looks, looks and says: “Oh, Vaska, I was afraid: I thought that you would bring some fifu. He knows how to cut bread, so he will do everything. ” Then they all had lunch together and went to the garden.

We knew that our city was under control, that it was of the highest category. But they didn’t think that an environmental disaster could happen in our city.

As it was written on the houses: "Let the atom be a worker, not a soldier."

This was our slogan in Pripyat.

Lyudmila and Vasily after the Chernobyl accident

The accident occurred on the 26, and on the 28 the rush was already announced and evacuation was announced. Then we realized that this is a problem - a catastrophe really happened.

Vasily Ignatenko was among the first liquidators of the accident.

When I came to Vasya to the hospital in Moscow, then more or less I began to delve into what it was.

Why did I sit with my husband, knowing that I was pregnant?

How could I leave him, tell me? I believed that my child is protected inside me. How ignorant we were of what radiation is, what a terrible ecology!

Yes, they said that the central nervous system was completely affected. But I didn’t understand this. I thought: “Well, you think, it will be a little nervous. Well, think, it will be hairless when the hair fell out. "

“And if they don’t grow back?” - Vasya asked. I answered: "Then we will wipe with a handkerchief, saving shampoo again."

We laughed, joked. We probably did not have in our thoughts that this was coming to some kind of completion, to some kind of end.

It was so hard for me to watch, it was so painful. And this lie in the film, a lot of frames are unfair, wrong.

They showed in the picture that Vasya was screaming and hysterical. No, my Vasya was very calm, patient, balanced. He had no tantrum. We were young, funny. Just did not think about it.

It is May 1. Parade. Vasya was already very hard, bad. He lay in a separate pressure chamber. We were preparing for a bone marrow transplant.

And then on May 1 he says: “Come to the window, now there will be a salute. Open the window. " And I opened the window, and he got up and pulls out three nails from under the pillow. These were our last flowers that he gave me.

Lyudmila after the Chernobyl accident

While in Gorbachev’s office, we all asked and prayed: “Give them to us, give them back. They are dying, we will take them home. ” "Absolutely no. They are the heroes of the country, ”Gorbachev himself said. “They will be buried here with all honors, with all the rituals.” Only here".

There was absolutely no farewell. We were taken on a bus with a coffin for two hours in Moscow. And they told each other: "The tail is behind us, do not call in at the cemetery, there are a lot of correspondents."

And we are already exhausted, no, two hours we ride around the city, on the same ring. And then I shouted: “What are you doing? So who are we burying? Do we have some kind of criminal, or who are we? ”

Then they told me on the radio: “My wife is hysterical, my parents are hysterical, what are we doing?” They answered: “Okay, stop by.”

After the Chernobyl accident, Lyudmila lost her husband and child.

The worst thing was when my parents brought me after the funeral home, and I realized that was all. I slept, slept for three days without waking up, and then I really did not want to live.

In 1986, I already lived in the apartment, it was October. Representatives from five countries of the world, from embassies came to us. They came all in one day. But before that, people came from the internal affairs department and said: “They will offer you, but everything is fine with you, you are living well, you have housing, everything is fine.”

I could go to five countries of the world for five years with the provision of housing and work there. And, of course, treatment. It was Canada, America, Germany ... I did not agree, because we were warned.

I decided on my second child after four years ... I had a goal - to have a baby. Because I understood: if I have a child, I will have life. I will have a meaning in life. Children help live.

On the subject: The series 'Chernobyl' became the most popular in history, beating the 'Game of Thrones'

Lyudmila and her story

First, Vasily's parents called: “You know, there is a good friend, she would like to write a book. This is a Belarusian writer. ”

I said that I do not need it. “Well, Lyuda, what are you, come on. We have already promised. ” I agreed - I could not refuse my parents.

Of course, I read the book. I did not agree with many episodes, but Aleksievich said that this was an art book.

You know, life is so fleeting. This life has passed. You don’t even think about what they write about you, what they say about you. Do not pay attention anymore. Because there is no strength for this.

Two years ago there was a call from Moscow. A HBO spokeswoman said a film about Chernobyl will be shot.

“Could you be our consultant?”

I say: "Well, if necessary."

And she called several times, several times asked by phone. And that's all, and on that end. Then she disappeared, and absolutely no one called, did not write.

And when the film was shot, I found out about it and that I am the main character. Then there were a lot of calls from Moscow, but I did not pick up the phone.

All journalists, all media twist this story. My life, my story.

IEE Comments: “The film crew communicated several times with Lyudmila [...] - before, during and after the shooting - in order to familiarize her with the project and the interpretation [in the series] of her story ... During communication, she never objected to using her story or her story Vasily’s husband [in the series].

Watch the full movie from the Air Force here:

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• In July, 2017, the creator of the series Game of Thrones, HBO, announced plans to shoot a mini-series about the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Then the start of filming was announced on 2018 year.
• The choice of location fell on Lithuania, because there, as in many former Soviet republics, there are many buildings and locations where the spirit of that time is still preserved. Several final episodes were shot in the summer of 2018, in Kiev. By this link You can find out more about how the shooting went.
• 7 May 2019, HBO announced on air Chernobyl television mini-series produced by HBO and Sky.
• As a result, the Chernobyl series on the IMDb website received an 9,6 score from 10, and took the first line in the rating of “250 TV show with the highest rating from viewers”, bypassing the iconic “Game of Thrones”.
• In the US, the journalist decided to show the series 'Chernobyl' to his stepfather - and by chance foundthat he was a liquidator.
• In June, the party "Communists of Russia" appealed to Roskomnadzor demanding limit access to the American series “Chernobyl” on all trackers and resources, calling it “slanderous, defaming Soviet power.”
• In July in Kazakhstan after watching the series from the NGO “Chernobyl” he stood with himself one of the liquidators of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
• And here the liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster talked about their view for truth and fiction in the acclaimed series.

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