Mykola Shteinberg, an expert in the field of energy, expresses his indignation and concern about the false statements made by the Minister of Energy of Ukraine. In his post, he examines the latest events surrounding the claims about the accident at the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and is outraged by the lack of an adequate response from state authorities.
A world-class lie by Minister Galushchenko
In the last two weeks, the mass media enthusiastically discussed a bright topic - "Why is the Minister of Energy lying?" It was interesting to follow the controversy in the mass media...
In the end, 2 (!) weeks later, on July 28, 2024, after the known fact, Oleg Korikov, the chief state inspector for nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine, announced on the telethon “Yedini Novyny”: “There were no emergency situations at the South Ukrainian NPP. Currently, all power units produce energy and are operated in accordance with the regulations."
According to him, "the information spread by the network about the accident at the South Ukrainian NPP is false. Last week, there was an operational event at the PANPP."
"Where have you been before, kissed with whom?" How to understand this: "There were no emergency situations at the South Ukrainian NPP"? And the fact that the country was without electricity for hours precisely because of the unscheduled shutdown of the unit of this NPP - is this a regular situation? In which legal acts is this written?
I did not see an answer in the pile of materials of the discussion that took place. And it is quite clear if you read the article "Pathological lying" in Wikipedia (there are a lot of articles on this topic and about pathological liars). And here's what it says: "In the medical literature, this type of personality was first described more than a hundred years ago. Pathological lying is also sometimes denoted by the term "mythomania", which was introduced by the French psychiatrist Ernest Dupre. Some psychologists believe that pathological liars differ from ordinary liars in that the pathological liar is sure that he is telling the truth, and at the same time he is used to the role. Many, however, do not fully agree with this interpretation, but conclude that pathological lying is a special mental state. Although the term "pathological liar" is not used in clinical diagnosis, most psychiatrists believe that this type of personality is the result of mental illness or low self-esteem.
I read this and felt somewhat confused. If Wikipedia is not lying (it is said that it sometimes sins), then Ukraine's energy, in particular nuclear energy, is managed, to put it mildly, by people who are not quite adequate...
I am not a medical specialist, but there is a minister of health in the Cabinet of Ministers, maybe he could evaluate the following phrase from the mentioned article: "In the prefrontal cortex of the brain of pathological liars, the volume of gray matter (neurons) is reduced by 14.2%, and The volume of white matter (nerve fibers) increased by 22%." How can this threaten energy in general, the safety of nuclear energy in particular and the country in general?
The article states that the term "pathological liar" is not used in clinical diagnosis. At the same time, psychiatrists believe that this type of personality is either the result of mental illness or low self-esteem.
Question to the Minister of Health: "How can this affect the state of energy and nuclear safety?" When I worked as a block operator, then as a block shift chief, I and all my colleagues were examined by a doctor before each (!!!) shift. Aircraft crews are checked before each departure. Bus drivers are checked. And the head of the industry, which is strategically important for the survival of the country, was checked?
Perhaps I would have avoided another case of lying by these, probably, really not entirely healthy people (they say there are no absolutely healthy people), but:
Can't explain what made you lie this time?
What could have prompted this in this case, apart from a serious illness, a mental disorder? Perhaps the failure of some vital goal, on which everything is set? The Minister represents Ukraine in the Board of Directors of the IAEA.
The lies of the minister, and I repeat, the member of the Board of Directors of the IAEA, were refuted by the IAEA itself. I was a member of the Board of Directors, and I guess that before the Agency openly, to the whole world, declared a member of the Board of Directors to be a liar (which is what it looks like in the world now), there was a secret consultation of, I carefully note, serious members of the Board. There are questions for the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
The entire time that the Minister of Energy is in power, he lies. His constant false statements, as well as the head of the nuclear regulatory body and the head of the operational organization ("Energoatom"), raise a natural question - what is happening in our nuclear energy and energy in general? Previously, lies, even though they went beyond the information space of our country, did not worry the world much (probably, they don't worry too much today either, they are used to it).
However, the minister forgot (perhaps he did not know) that precisely at the request of Ukraine, IAEA inspectors are now permanently present at each of our nuclear power plants. And this "little" lie has become a fact of misinformation that our country provides to the system of UN organizations. Not only that, this lie was prepared and spread by an official who was called to represent the interests of our country in the UN system.
Is this normal behavior of the Minister of Ukraine? How does this behavior of the highest state official contribute to the interests of our country? Is the whole world trying to help us survive the critical energy situation, and its leader misinforming the UN? How to understand this?
And more. It took two weeks for the State Nuclear Regulatory Commission to figure out that "... there was an operational event at the PANPP". And if something really serious happens? When will the population of Ukraine learn about it? In how many weeks, months or years will the state take measures to protect it?
It would be interesting to hear the assessment of the performance of these managers by a direct manager.
