Soviet Union: Four Desperate Days

Anatoli Chernyayev first met Mikhail Gorbachev almost 20 years ago when they were both members of a Soviet delegation traveling abroad. In 1986 the former history professor, who had spent more than two decades with the Central Committee's international department, was made a top adviser to the man who had recently become the leader of the Soviet Union. In August 1991, over four desperate days, he shared house arrest with his President.

When Gorbachev and his family went on vacation to the Crimea in early August, Chernyayev, 70, and other members of the presidential staff accompanied them, staying at a health resort called Yuzhny, some seven miles from the presidential compound. During the day, Chernyayev and his team worked in offices just a few yards away from Zarya, the Gorbachevs' dacha; one of their assignments was to help the President put the finishing touches on a speech scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 20, to mark the signing of his cherished union treaty, under which the center would be redefined and significant new powers would be transferred to the republics. Here, Chernyayev describes what happened at the dacha beginning Aug. 18 and why he decided to publish his tale.

"I began to write a chronicle of events on Aug. 21 while confined with the President. I have witnessed a turning point in history.

"When I left my room I put it under the carpet or behind the wardrobe; I had the impression that somebody came into my room during my absences. I made some additions later, very shortly after we came back to Moscow. I did not plan to publish these notes, and only scribbled something down mechanically, subconsciously hoping that 'manuscripts do not burn' ((an allusion to the work of the early 20th century writer Mikhail Bulgakov, author of The Master and Margarita)).

"I did not have much hope at the time. But the ridiculous allegations, misinterpretations and purposeful smears poured over the President in the media compelled me to change my mind."

Zarya dacha, The Crimea

Sunday August 18

Olga ((Lanina, one of Gorbachev's secretaries)) and I came back to work after lunch at Yuzhny at about 4 p.m. As usual, two police cars stood at the entrance, and a barbed-wire strip was stretched across the road. They moved it aside a little for us to pass.

At about 5 o'clock, Olga ran in: "Anatoli Sergeyevich! What's happening? ((Gorbachev's chief of staff Valeri)) Boldin, ((deputy chairman of the Defense Council Oleg)) Baklanov and ((Politburo member Oleg)) Shenin have come with a tall general in eyeglasses. I've never seen him." I saw a convoy of cars with aerials, some of them with lights flashing on the roofs, at the entrance of the office building, a swarm of drivers and guards. I peeped out the window that looked onto the presidential quarters: gloomy ((General Yuri)) Plekhanov ((head of the KGB department responsible for the security of Soviet leaders)) was ambling along the path.

Olga told me that they had cut off communications. I picked up a receiver, another one and still another -- all dead, including the satellite line.

We began wondering what it all could possibly mean. I was musing aloud about some breakdown at a nuclear power plant -- that would explain Baklanov's presence. But it turned out much worse than that!