Intriguing place and Missilemen 30

It will be 5 years soon as I landed on Lulu, but the island is still full of surprises for me. Below you see what I found today. This building and alley attracted my attention before:

But today I decided to have a look, what is inside:

These figures really intrigued me:

One day I will tall you more about this:

At least, I hope that I will. And now, Missilemen 30

Captain took long pause and used it for show off again.

“Are there philatelists between you?” – he jumped to another subject suddenly.

In those days stamp collection was one of not many techniques to make extra money legally additionally to your official salary. And this business was developed in Lebedin. But not all of the participants of this business really made money. Most of them were only in the process of preparation for this, creating their own collections. But Captain Isaev was very successful in it, he occupies the top of the pyramid by having access to rare stamps, bought them cheap and send pyramid down with very good profit initially for himself and then proportionally to all pyramid layers except the bottom. By the way, the process of buying with purpose to resell was criminal activity in the Soviet Union. Criminal code identifies it as profiteering and the punishment can be from 3 to 5 years of imprisonment. But this was applied only to such goods as cloths, TV sets, appliances, etc. Philatelists, numismatists and other collectors had a chance to make money, having links and access to articles that could be collected. The really created their own market and their own clients.

”I have small collection” – Gena Schekov replied.

“Wonderful! Come to our meeting in buffet on Saturday night. We are gathering there at 7 pm usually” – and, after deep breath: “That’s it. Our conversation is finished. I will see you again during complex training with launch imitation. Break!”

The last number in our program of acquaintance with the regiment for today was meeting with KGB representative, Captain Gena Kuzin. Gena had an appearance of the village hooligan. He started without any introduction of preparation:

“I am responsible for state security and protection against espionage” – he begins in very dynamic manner – “You are in Sumy Oblast, which is well know for local population collaboration with fascist occupants. They met them with bread and salt here. Many of not killed betrayers and former German police members are still here masking as honest Soviet citizens”.

In short, Gena was confident that Lebedin is full of spies, and it is only matter of time for him to catch at least one of them. Or, in any case, he could disclose couple of former German policemen. This was what he believed is one his major task here in Lebedin. Then he told us several stories:

“For example, last fall, in the third battalion, two old women were caught inside secured territory walking between barbed wires to the check point. Mushroom they were picking! And how did they penetrate inside? How did they squeeze through three lines of barriers?! They were lucky that voltage on the safety net was only 220, for overhaul purpose in that day, not usual 1000! Or we would see their burned out remnants in other case!…” – he stopped, looking at us as we could answer his questions, and continued then: “I still try to understand, how did they penetrate there?”

After story about grandmas and mushrooms Gena switched to his countryside childhood, making note:

“I was a hooligan in my village school. Couple of year ago I visited my place and saw my school teacher. She was so surprised seeing me in the uniform of the KGB Captain!”

I do not know why, but it was not surprise for me that his teacher was surprised. Then Captain told us that his office is situated in stand alone small log hut not far from the headquarter. He told us that it will be his pleasure if we visit him one day for intimate conversations individually. And, of course, if we see something suspicious, we must immediately report about this directly to him.

Berries, Mushrooms and Missilemen 29

Yesterday I had a chance to walk in the forests in and around Lulu Island. There are lots of blackberries still on the bushes. And in some places they form colorful ensemble with ashberries:

Death-caps are everywhere:

This means that good mushrooms are somewhere too. And, yes, you can see flat-cap mushroom close to this fly-agarics:

Going further in the forest I found these ten honey-logs and couple of toadstools:

It looks like next weekend I will be busy. But now, Missilemen 29

After sticking stars into should-straps we attached these military attributes to our shirts, jackets and topcoats, to the dresses that had to be used for our afternoon visit to the headquarter. Then we went out and made photos on the background of vacant plot of land not far from our hostel. From this moment we started to get used to very strange motion of our right hands in head direction, what military saluting is. We made this several times on our way to the buffet for lunch, and then from the buffet to the headquarter. Now we have to wave our right hands so strange way every time when we meet somebody in military uniform.

In the headquarter they showed us a documentary film about ground variant of the 8K65 preparation to launch starting from permanent alarm state. When the film was finished a gentleman in fop civilian suit with colorful tie entered the hall.

“Captain Isaev” – He introduced himself and took the sit by very imposing way with one lag on the other settling back as much as the shaky chair allowed him. He looked at us staying still in front of him and continued with unconcealed pleasure:

“Your task is to launch rocket at any conditions, but my task is to prevent you to do this” – and, after keeping pause, having fun looking at our surprised faces, proposed:

“Sit down, please. I will explain everything now”.

This officer, as we learned later, had a good education and was a representative of security service, not KGB, but the service that was protecting non sanctioned launch of strategic missiles. This service was established in the end of sixties.

The Captain in civilian suit contained his story:

“The experience of exploitation even of the first strategic missile complexes in the USSR revealed that there is a need to protect nuclear weapon against random factor influence that can lead to non sanctioned implementation. There is a need to guard missile complexes that are equipped with nuclear warheads against premeditated actions of specially trained criminal that has a goal to launch the rocket; against the mistaken and accidental actions of the personnel; against equipment fault and failings in apparatus elements that can lead to false command forming, which can cause launch order formation; against interferences in the battle control canals, which can be transformed by mistake and finally transmits the information, which has a form of order for missile launch. And so on”.
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It started to be dull until Captain wasn’t switched for details. He told us that in the ground circuit, which is used for launch command preparation, they placed CDD, Code Blocking Device. The 8 digit code is needed for the launch command to go through the CDD. The code has to be set up on the CDD keyboard. There are two Start buttons in apparatus room where launch command is physically realized. The first button is situated on the start control panel under battery commander operation, the second one is on the CDD, and senior operator of the third squad presses it.

The code became know simultaneously with the order for launch, which can be issued by Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Leonid Ilyich Breghnev or by Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Nikolay Victorovich Podgorny. It has to be mentioned, that beginning of the seventieth was known by some tension release in USSR – USA contradiction and Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, SALT-1, was accepted by governments of both countries. SALT-1 is a complex of several documents signed in 1972. Even mutual inspections started to have place, not in missile complexes itself, but for the systems of accidental launch prevention. Russian guys demonstrated this CDD and Captain Isaev took part in one of such presentations. It looks like negotiations with Americans were very impressive for his psyche. At least some of his expressions still look very strange for me:

“I represents interests of American Government here in Lebedin!” – he announced with delight – “I do not report to anybody! Neither in Romny nor in Vinnitsa! Only to Moscow! You see, I do not wear uniform!”

Walk on the Deas Island and Missilemen 28

This place is not far from the road to my office:

I often walk here during lunch time this fall, wondering what the name of these flowers can be:

Small marina is situated on the other bank:

This is the South end of the island and waterway to the ocean:

I like the place. The forest here resembles me Lebedin’s one. And I continue, Missilemen 28

Next morning after breakfast in known for us buffet at 8 am we were in the room of regiment officer on duty. He saw us into spacious study of regiment commander, Colonel Kamynin, and ordered to take sits near the wall just in front of commander desk. The wall behind the desk was occupied by huge detailed map of the Western Mediterranean, including Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Morocco and Algeria.

“Why this map is here?” – I started to think, reading geographical names: Malaga, Seville, Grenada, Tangier – “Is it possible that they keep it from Spain Civil War time?”

The Colonel entered study. We got up. The revolution song about apple and Grenada that just started to sound in my head was switched off. Commander greeted us with simple words, saying that he is glad to see healthy young reinforcement in his officer’s file. He told us that we will serve as operators of ground strategic missile complexes equipped with the 8K65 rockets. And, what was surprisingly unexpected by me, at the end of his speech he advised us to drink milk instead of vodka. Very serious advice, the meaning of which I recognized a little bit later. But an advice is not an order, and he sounded it not very convincingly, just something like, “I know you, you will not follow this advice and will drink this muck and be folly”. Then he started to make personal acquaintance with us. He called the name, corresponded lieutenant stood up, commander had a look at him and announced the number of battalion, the number of battery and the position.

I think that it was a lucky day for us, Samara guys, that spring day in April 1974. Gena, Valerka and I were distributed into electro-technical squads in different batteries, and Vovka Mochalov got position in electro-technical squad too, but in the maintenance station. Colonel told us that even we are mechanics by education, however he needs electrics now, and he knows for sure that we will be excellent electrics. Why it was a luck I understood in quarter of century later, when many of my military comrades, served as refuelers, started to die due to blood cancer. The 8K65 was a heptil missile. Heptil or unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine was used as a fuel. This liquid is terribly poisonous. Its fractions have possibility to be accumulating by liver with fatal disease in time period of twenty years and even more, when you started to forget about your military service.

From the headquarter building we went to the depot where spent two hours by selecting and fitting our new military uniform. We got the following: three service caps (daily, field and parade), fur-cap, two greatcoats (daily and parade), summer topcoat, two pairs of high boots (tarpaulin and boxcalf), boots, daily military jacket and trousers, combatant riding-breeches, field uniform, parade uniform in two variants (noncombatant and combatant), belts and shoulder-belt, shirts, ties, underclothing, should-straps, stars, scarves, gloves, socks and more, I do not remember all details. Taking all this stuff we went to the hostel for change into daily uniform and be back to the headquarter in the afternoon.

Boletus luteus and Missilemen 27

On the way home I made a turn, crossed one bridge and stopped in the small island not far from Lulu one. The forest here resembles me the one from my childhood. Pine trees, sand soil with some moss patches on it in shady places:

Butter mushrooms like such places:

Those that are on the sun have good golden sun-tan:

But I prefer such, like this:

They are harder and tastier. And, as usually, Missilemen 27.

5. Licensing for fighting trim duties

Officer hostel was situated by itself in standalone plywood barrack on Gastello Street just on the way from military town to the Lebedin’s downtown. Entering hostel through center door you step into small antechamber, where porter’s post is situated. Aunt Galya, merry Ukrainian lady that met us our first day, ruled this hostel. She is commandant, porter, chambermaid and cleaner. Long corridor divides the building for two parts. Doors from dwellers rooms are opening to this corridor on both sides. Kitchen is in one end of the corridor, bathroom is in another one. Aunt Galya found big rooms for us and Kuzya, Gena and I started processes of stretching out clothes, washing and changing. Beds were made too. There was no desire to sleep even the way was long and tiresome. The time to make first acquaintance with the city came.

We went to the cantonment, knowing that buffet is working there late and we can eat something. And it was good idea to know where we can find some meal for tomorrow breakfast. Military town or cantonment looked solid. Big gray four stores apartment buildings constructed in the thirties created stern architectural ensemble of Stalin’s epoch. The ruins of the former Palace of Culture were impressive too. Central street of the cantonment leads to this ruins that were not rebuild since World War II. The palace was bombed by Germans and never rebuilt. Carfagen, this is a name how local residents call this place. The buffet building was close to this palace. It was our surprise that at 9 pm it was opened. Local public spent their night time inside. Vodka, vine, beer were available. Some kind of simple food, like boiled sausages and buckwheat porridge was presented too. This was enough for us. We ate couple of sausages and drank bottle of beer each. Beer was Ghiguly from Sumy’s brewery. Finishing with supper we went further to investigate the neighborhood.

It became totally dark. We went approximately five hundred meters along Gastello into town center and stopped not far from the huge poplar tree, which covered the whole street and nearby houses by its crown. The reason that stopped us was not a tree but crows that occupied it making black stirred alive hat. There were so many of them and they were shouting with their scary worrying voices. Specific smell of dung was in the air. I had an experience of cooperation with similar colonies of these birds before and understand well that it’s impossible to go behind the tree without being covered by the shit of these creatures. I told about this to my friends. Gena and Valerka initially didn’t believe me, but approaching closer they saw how the road is covered by the high quality fertilizer steadily.

“Maybe we will try to cross it running?” – more proposed than ask Kuzya.

“Try it” – Gena replied.

“OK, leave the idea. You will not wash off the shirt in cold water after this. Let’s go home. It’s dart and I want to sleep” – I told to them.

“Let’s go” – Gena and Kuzya agreed.

River, Delta, Oregon Grape, Hawthorn and Missilemen 26

Summer is still here and I as usually make stop and walk along Fraser River, which is working providing good road for the goods delivered by this Panama ship:

The day is not so long like in the middle of the summer, but it is still sunny at 6 pm in delta:

The hawthorn berries are going to be ripe soon:

I like them. And, by the way, they are really good for health because they strengthen cardiovascular function and stabilize blood pressure. Of course you have to eat them to feel this.

Going a little bit further into the forest you can see lots of Oregon Grapes, which are ripe now:

The plant is used medicinally by herbalists too. Berries contain a specific multidrug resistance pump inhibitor, which works to decrease bacterial resistance to antibiotics and antibacterial agents. I can eat couple of them but the taste is strange and I do not like it.

My story is continuing. Missilemen 26

Local rural bus was a transportation mean that has to deliver us to Lebedin. Before embossing it we met Vovka Mochalov in the Romny bus terminal, who arrived to this town yesterday. There were several more guys, our colleagues with him: Vovka Shorokhov from Moscow, and Slavik Potudin, Vovka Ivanov and Petr Brosov – all from Sevastopol. Mochalov told us that Valerka Tsigankov was here yesterday and chose Glukhov as a place for his services and went there early morning today.

Our places in the bus were in the end of the salon. I sat near a window. It was a long way. The bus often went down from the highway and by rural unpaved roads made its way to nearest villages. One peasant lady sitting close to me had a piglet in a sack. The piglet grunted uneasily often. She stroked the sack trying to make it quiet. In one of the villages an old woman took calf into the bus. Our driver tried to prevent this. But granny explained him how dear this heifer is for her, and how important it is to deliver them home at time. Passengers supported her. Driver surrendered. Calf was staying close to Gena. He scratched it behind the ear with pleasure. Idyll.

Lebedin’s bus terminal is situated in the downtown. I liked the central square from the first view. It was surrounded by ancient market place, orthodox church, big building of cultural center, park area and Chevchenko monument. We took city bus here. In fifteen minutes our team was near so called military town. Stand of entering checkpoint was empty, but passerby explained where is the regiment headquarter inside the town.

Officer on duty met us, gave telephone call to somewhere and showed us direction to officer hostel not far from headquarter, on Gastello Street. Hostel commandant, merry Ukrainian lady, distributed us by rooms, gave us all bed stuff and wished good night. Next morning they were awaiting us in headquarter and at the stock of military uniform. Our military service started.

Milk mushroom forest and Missilemen 25

Saturday morning I spent couple of hours peaking blueberry in the pit bog shown in my previous posts. Then, at home, it took me couple of hours more to check, read and reply several private letters. The weather changed for better during these two hours and the decision was made to visit our milk mushroom forest.

This is the places where I pick milk mushrooms:

Many stabs of fallen trees are around:

Milk mushrooms were not found today. It is still dry for them. But fresh white elastic puff-balls are everywhere. This means that milk mushrooms will be here soon too.

The view from the forest edge to Lulu Island:

I like this long narrow sand-bar and often swim there.

And, as usually, Missilemen 25

Kuzya took his bag and directed his steps to the section car without hesitations. Gena and I followed him. Closing by we understood that this machine is used for morning newspapers and mails delivery to the stations on this railway branch. Mechanic-driver proposed to take places on the mail bags. We arranged our sits in the nose part of this section car which resembles a ferry boat of PS series that we used in Kuibyshev crossing Volga River: similar size of the deck, same KhTZ engine in front of the small driver booth installed in the middle of the deck. There were several more passengers that had intention to reach Romny by this unusual way. Conversation started. Mechanic-driver with big satisfaction told us that yesterday he run over two dogs. He tried to tell this story in all details, but we ignored him and started to doze.

The ferry-car rushed by the railway. There were not many stops. Sometime driver break our sleep by dragging necessary mail bag from-under us. Close to 10 am last bag was dropped off at small halt.

“I will no go to Romny” – Driver says loudly.

Kuzy looks at Gena very expressive way.

“I drop you off at the approaches” – railroader continues.

“Okey, make it closer to the terminal” – Gena asks.

“It will be something like one kilometer that you have to walk”.

In ten minute we entered typical industrial city suburb area. Railway tracks started to increase in numbers. Driver stopped the car close to the next railway switch and told us:

“Finish. I can’t go further. Get off”.

We jumped over car boards, say our thanks to the driver for good trip and wish luck to our fellow-travelers. Our way was going further along the railway to city’s terminal. Soon, after gentle turn left the view of the railway station was opening. We really were in Romny.

It was not a problem to find the division headquarter. Lieutenant Colonel, the head of human resource department, asked us with amazing:

“How you get here so early? Possibly you took section car?”

”Exactly” – Kuzya replies.

“You are braves! For your promptness I give you a chance to select a regiment”.

“What do we have for selection?” – I ask him.

“Glukhov, Lebedin, Akhtyrka” – Lieutenant Colonel answers.

Geographical name Lebedin (Swan City) sound very attractive. I liked it.

“How far is Lebedin from Poltava?” – I continue to ask officer.

“Two hundred kilometers approximately. And why is this question?”

“Nothing special. Just, I know that Poltava is good place. And why Lebedin is Lebedin? Maybe there are many swans there?” – I avoid direct answer and switch conversation to another topic.

“Yes, they have swan lake there and Psel river is not far from the city too” – Lieutenant Colonel explains.

These are the details that define our choice.

“Lebedin” – I tell on behalf of our team. Kuzya and Gena nod assent.

“Good again” – officer smiles – “You selected the best regiment in the division. OK, let it be. You will go to live on the swan lake bank”.

Boat in the blackberry bush

After working day on my way home I often take the road that goes close to this small fishermen village:

Blackberry bushes are around:

This boat, when tide is high, is afloat:

And this one too:

I’ve never seen people here in daytime, and never been here at night.

Deserted beach, cranberry, Missilemen 24

Strange, but only today I recognized that I have a reason for celebration: fifty years ago I went to school. It happened in Ikovka, settlement in the Western Siberia, very close to Ural region. And I remembered about this being on the beach, which looks this way:

Seagulls are wondering between logs looking for some potato chips and other remnants of junk food, several dry cargo ships are on the spot-check:

Downtown scrapes sky on the horizon:

It’s rather cool, but summer is still here and they promise hot sunny days this and the next weeks. Therefore, in waiting bathing weather I decided to check my cranberry plantation:

Berries are not ripe yet and will be only in a month or so. I will be back to this place in time. And now, as usually, Missilemen 24.

Sitting on the hard benches, listening conversations and trying to understand familiar words of our fellow-travelers, watching West Ukrainian landscape behind the window and nodding we were back to Vinnitsa. The strategic missile army headquarter was found without problems. They checked our IDs at the entrance check-point and allowed to come in. The Major had a look at our direction papers and ordered to go to the division headquarters situated in Romny. He explained that there is no direct train or bus connection to Romny and we have to go there through Bakhmach, making change of train there.

We returned back to the railway station and learned that the train to Bakhmach will be at night only. The whole day in Vinnitsa was ours. The time to untie the bag with dried fish comes and I did this in the pub in downtown. Beer wasn’t in shortage in Vinnitsa. Therefore during sightseeing we walked from one place to another visiting not only museums but the pubs and testing local beers. Squirrels in parks surprised me. They jumped around and begged nuts. There were no such animals in Samara in that time yet. Finally we revealed that beer was not very good. The reason to do such conclusion was simple: Gena puked in the park not far from central shopping mall. Or did he overeat the fish in stock? Now it’s difficult to define the reason of his indisposition clearly.

The day was killed this way and in the evening we embarked the passenger train going from Vinnitsa to Konotop. Carriages were not very clean and comfort. After not good sleep, in the five of the morning we were out of it on the Bakhmach’s platform. The day was breaking but the sun wasn’t on the sky yet. It was fresh and very nice outside after stuffy carriage. Leaving Gena with out baggage Kuzya and I came into railway station to look at the time-table. It showed that the train to Romny will be in the afternoon only. We were back to Gena disappointed a little bit.

“I feel better! The atmosphere is more congenial here” – Gena says – “When do we have our train?”

“Again at night only” – I answere.

“Let’s go and check why people are crowded there” – Gena continues and shows to the end of the platform where several people are staying not far from the section car.

“What you didn’t see there” – Kuzya fans away – “Let’s go to the village better”.

“Go, Gena, have a look. There is nothing to do in the village at such an early hour” – I supported Gena.

He went there and came back soon:

“Take the baggage and follow me”.

“Why?” – I ask him.

“We will take the section car and go to Romny this way. I made arrangement. It will cost us only fifty kopeks per person” – Gena explains.

I am trying to say something back reminding him his special railway tickets to Vinnitsa:

“Will we miss the station again? Are they really going to Romny?”

“Really, really” – Gena answers my questions without any hesitation.