Photo courtesy of Rodina magazine
Editor-in-chief of Rodina magazine Igor Kots – on air Radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda” – with the political observer KP.RU Alexander Gamov.
The expedition of Rodina and Rossiyskaya Gazeta to new regions of the country ended in Mariupol – journalists brought to the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, to the Kherson region and Zaporozhye a special issue of the historical magazine for schools and universities: “Our Great Patriotic War”. And it is no coincidence that these letters add up to the abbreviation “SVO”.
And I decided to find out the details of this unusual journalistic action from my old friend Igor Kots …
Igor Kots, editor-in-chief of Rodina magazine. Photo: Evgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti
… – Igor, hello!
Listen, you know, when I read Volodya Ladny’s report about how your wonderful action went … And I immediately imagined that Igor Kots, who during the Chechen war carried parcels and Komsomolskaya Pravda to the front line … That’s my nostalgia for a little those of our times. Didn’t this business trip remind you of that march of yours?
– You know, San, I reminded you from our very first visit, because the know-how, of course, belonged to Komsomolskaya Pravda.
1995, Sasha Yevtushenko, our correspondent in the war, and I are taking Komsomolskaya Pravda to Chechnya.
Photo courtesy of Rodina magazine
We are losing a truck there, which we had the nickname “Sharapov”. And there were many, many more adventures.
But I remember with what excitement people opened Komsomolskaya Pravda, because the information hunger was then stronger than the real hunger.
And then there were two such expeditions, as you remember. What we have done now is a continuation.
– Cool. And I really liked how you disposed of this familiar name – CBO.
Your Great Patriotic War. You, yes, came up with this way to decipher? Or were you advised?
– You offend. Who could tell us this?
They racked their brains, thought, thought and came up with.
And this, in general, people also appreciated there.
The presentations we made were very cordial. And we came back from there – in many ways – different people.
– Igor, but did you happen to meet our legendary military commander Sasha Kots there?
– By chance we met him there. And he, along with Zhenya Poddubny, his partner and godfather, came to us in Krasnodon … And Zhenya even performed very well there. He told about his grandfather – a tanker who went through the whole war.
In general, this also gave some kind of family atmosphere and cordiality to our meeting.
Photo courtesy of Rodina magazine
– Still would!
– Krasnodon is also directly connected with Komsomolskaya Pravda.
In this special issue of Rodina, there is a long article by Viktor Dyunin, he was such a famous journalist of Komsomolskaya Pravda.
– I know him.
– Yes, Viktor Mikhailovich tells in this article about how Kim Kostenko rehabilitated Viktor Tretyakevich, commissioner of the Young Guard.
And Kim Kostenko is an artilleryman who went through the whole war, a cavalier of the commander’s order of Alexander Nevsky.
But also, just in case, it’s not for you to tell me, he is the husband of Inna Pavlovna Rudenko, our legendary journalist.
And there we visited the Young Guard Museum. And they saw that next to the busts of all famous heroes – Oleg Koshevoy, Lyuba Shevtsov, Sergei Tyulenin, Ivan Zemnukhov – now there is a bust of Viktor Tretyakevich.
And I thought that if Inna Pavlovna found out about this, she would be simply happy.
– That is, you will print the circulation, it is too small, in my opinion, for such a magazine …
– Circulation – we did it for these territories. We brought four thousand there. Thousands were fraternally divided. And there, in principle, this magazine will be in every school and university library.
This project is intended primarily for teachers.
– I understand. And Lisa Brichkina is also our heroine.
– Liza Brichkina is also ours. Elena Grigorievna Drapeko. (Lisa Brichkina – the role of Elena Drapeko in the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet.” – A.G.)
I learned an amazing story. (The actress performed in Mariupol.)
It turns out that she starred in some distant shaggy year in the film “Such a Hot Month.” This is based on the play by Bokarev “Steelworkers”, there was such a famous play. And this film was shot in Mariupol, then it was called Zhdanov. At Azovstal. And Elena Drapeko played there as a normer. And so she told the people of Mariupol about it. That also gave, again, to our meetings such an atmosphere – family, friendly.
It was not a report of some kind, and the word “presentation” does not fit this. Meeting of friends.
Photo courtesy of Rodina magazine
– Cool. What did Sasha Kots say? He is about his grandfather, who drove locomotives …
– No, Sasha Kots was just sitting, keeping quiet, he is a modest guy. There, my father directed it all.
I offer him, I say: maybe you and Zhenya will tell something together. No, he says, Zhenya himself knows how and what.
I estimated that they had come from near Kremennaya to Krasnodon. And they were also received there very warmly, with applause.
– Clear. Do you understand my trick? For some reason, I decided to call you early in the morning in order to get ahead of Rossiyskaya Gazeta and tell you about your wonderful presentation that will be held today. Right, right?
– Yes, well, when would Gamow be second? Gamow exclusive. That’s why…
– This is not cut out of the interview!
– It could not be otherwise. You are the first, as always, Sasha.
– This is from the report, guys, we will not cut it out, which will be held on KP radio. Igor, well, I just enjoyed talking with you. I congratulate you, all your colleagues, on another such brilliant step by Komsomolskaya Pravda (represented by our beloved Motherland) in our new expanses – in the DPR and LPR, in Zaporozhye and in the Kherson region. And with the new achievement of “Rodina” The Motherland is behind us, we will win. What else to add? What slogans did the Kots proclaim there?
– Well, what are the slogans? Victory will be ours. One slogan. Hello Komsomolka.
– From Komsomolskaya Pravda.
– From “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”, which also has half, in my opinion, employees from “Komsomolskaya Pravda”. And the editor-in-chief, first of all, Vladislav Fronin, who blessed our whole undertaking, our whole journey. Have a nice day, Sasha. Thank you for remembering, don’t forget.
– I hug you, Igor. Let’s connect more often.
– Let’s be friends at home.
– Hooray!
