Anton’s Story - Part III: The Letter ‘V’ Appears

Written by Val Stutz, edited by: Clary Estes. Our conversation with Anton was organized and moderated by our citizen journalist Eugene. Quotes have been edited for clarity and concision.

Anton recalled the moment when he heard that Russian troops had arrived at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. “The only identifying mark was the letter ‘V’, from the Latin alphabet that was displayed on their vehicles. There was a tank, an armored personnel carrier, and infantry personnel. They headed towards the power plant’s administrative building, and they just stood there—they didn’t do anything. They just waited for a negotiation team to show up. Then the head of the power plant contacted me, I gathered my team, and told them that the power plant was most likely already surrounded by the Russian army.”