 October 26th is the fifth anniversary of 'Nord-Ost', the operation to neutralize the terrorists and free the hostages. Appearing in the studio is Valery Gavrilovich Draganov, a member of the General Council from the 'United Russia' party. It is no coincidence — he was a participant of the events, and since this morning he was at a rally in memory of the victims.
MODERATOR: Psychologically, it is clear: when talking about such events you cannot speak the whole truth — one's conscience does not let them put into everyday words. What do you think about it?
DRAGANOV: Actually, I do have something to say. A long time ago I refused to speak such mournful rhetoric with participants in the events, the victims or their relatives. One can talk about compassion, partnership, and financial assistance, but neither friends nor the government nor any financial, moral or other assistance reduces the pain. On the other hand, I have found it easier to talk on this subject simply as a person, rather than as a politician as I did in the past, or as the manager of a large, influential company as I am now. Simply talking to people in the language of feelings is more useful than that so-called politically correct rhetoric.
I was really there today, but I was there on other days, and more often I simply mill around. And I think, because I too have many questions. I already told you once how I carried the wounded and dead from the building, and I remember how at first we just put the bodies of the victims anywhere we could. And the first question that torments me is: why did the doctors not explain what we needed to do?
You can talk endlessly on this subject, but that is what I saw. There is a lot less officialdom and politeness, and the rally itself is not like it used to be, but it is more of a gathering of people who are simply expressing their thoughts out loud. And there is this informal moderator who conducts the rally every year. There are no speeches by one or another senior official, but what moves me is how the subject develops together with the pain. I saw a stand with color photos of the dead, and I was thinking: «No, the colored pictures don't look right, black and white is more emotional…» But when you start to look at them, you know that it is not in the color, it is in the faces. Somehow these faces, even the aged faces and the young and fresh ones, they get ever more sad and more painful with time. Someone from the media asked me when the investigation will be over. I do not know how to answer this question, even for myself.
MODERATOR: Is it still going on?
DRAGANOV: It is underway. But in the public consciousness this investigation must be eternal. Let us switch to legal language. There is procedure, and for me as long as there are legal procedures the investigation is not finished. Those who accuse someone of carelessness, of a lack of organization or subjectivity, they are correct. And those who defend themselves against such accusations are also correct. In this process one party will always be right, and we know who that will be. It is necessary to suppress all ambition and emotion, and I am not talking about the 'honor of the uniform', for adults that is even laughable, but to listen patiently and then initiate lawsuits. The rhetoric of certain lawyers surprises me somewhat: they should stick to the legal side of things, rather than becoming more and more like politicians. But this is also a matter of taste.
So, what can I say? Once I traveled there with Giuliani, the former mayor of New York. I consider him a hero — he was with his people in hard times, just like Yuri Luzhkov was with his people. And the responsibilities that Giuliani and Luzhkov and other governors and mayors have, these are not rhetorical questions. I showed Giuliani how it was, and this brave, strong man was very touched. And it is not surprising, because it does not matter whether you are defending the eleven million people of Moscow or New York, or just one person who faces injury or death, you still suffer, and especially outsiders who want to do something, but cannot, they suffer from a sense of helplessness in a worst-case scenario. You keep thinking that it would have been better to be there. But I can never dot this 'i'.
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