“At first, I thought it would be a documentary. I was asked to express my opinion after I watched that film. I watched it for several minutes and became so unnerved that my blood pressure went up. I called [the people that had asked me to watch it] and told them that it is not a film but rather something ‘X-rated’. They explained to me that it was a feature film. Only after that, I started to come to myself.
In the Chernobyl miniseries, they showed something that was not true. The Plant Director [Viktor Bryukhanov] acted in a different way. I was with him in the anti-radiation bunker. We, three officers, were on shifts in it during the first day. Bryukhanov was at the headquarters. I came to the doors every 15 minutes to receive directives and relayed them up the chain [of command].
I knew Chief Engineer Anatoly Dyatlov well. He was in his place. Yes, he was somewhat hard, and peculiar, with his own character. He was tough and somewhat harsh.
As for the science, he [Dyatlov] practically did not obey the Director. He, just like Bryukhanov, had a Government telephone line in his office. Bryukhanov did not want to conduct that experiment, but Dyatlov did not listen to him. It was because Moscow was giving him direct orders to conduct that test. He [Dyatlov] was forced. No one heard what they [Moscow] were telling him.
Dyatlov was told during the test that automatics do not work and that the test should be stopped. But he reports to Moscow first and then comes back and says “Do it”. He followed the orders.”
Komarov’s Statement that Moscow made Dyatlov continue the test >
