Vsevolod Smerechynskyi, Ukraine

Vsevolod Smerechynskyi, Ukraine

Ivan Kendzor talked to one of the founders of an organization called “Chernobyl Union of Ukraine” which provides social and legal assistance to liquidators. Mr. Vsevolod Smerechynskyi was sent to Chernobyl as a liquidator himself and gave Ivan an interview in his Lviv office.

I interviewed Vsevolod Smerechynskyi at the office of the organization “Chernobyl Union of Ukraine”. The office surprised me with its simplicity and modesty, and I understood that the organization lacks financing. The atmosphere of the interview was quite unobtrusive. I managed to ask Vsevolod all my questions.

Vsevolod Bohdanovych Smerechynskyi was born in 1952 in a small town of Buchach, Ternopil region in a pharmacists’ family. While studying in a secondary school Vsevolod successfully finished music school (his instrument was accordion). Like his parents, he also had a big passion for chemistry. When he was in school he participated in several national school competitions in chemistry. He had only good marks at school.

In 1969 Vsevolod entered Lviv Polytechnic Institute, the department of organic substances technology. He successfully graduated from it with a diploma with honors. From 1974 to 1981 he had been working at a chemical – pharmaceutical factory in Riga as a main technologist. Then from 1981 till 1985 he had been working at another factory in Riga and in 1985 he moved back to Lviv.

It is worth mentioning that Vsevolod was one of the initiators of setting up the Ukrainian Language Society which testifies to the fact that he was against the Soviet power regime.

Read the full interview