Servant of the People in Kyiv

Shevardnadze nodded in satisfaction and said, "You must be tired after being abroad for forty or fifty days. I'll give you a few days off. Go home and take a look around. Come back to work after you've rested well."

Haniyev was delighted to hear this. He didn't have much work to do in the Second Division of the African Department. It was indeed a torture for him to sit in the office without doing any real work. It was naturally the best thing to be able to go home on vacation now.

After thanking Shevardnadze, Haniyev left.

Kuzhugaitsky snorted coldly and said, "Minister, why are you still bothering with this brat? He caused such a big mess abroad. If you hadn't strongly defended him in front of the General Secretary, he would have been dismissed and sentenced long ago. I dare not use him in the Africa Department anymore."

Glancing at Kurugetsky, Shevardnadze said in a deep voice, "Haniev is very courageous. In my decades of work, he's the most courageous and decisive person I've ever met. He's definitely going to achieve great things. Perhaps in twenty years he'll become a leader of the Soviet Union's Central Committee. Don't be so superficial in your judgment of people and things."

Kuzhugaitsky was stunned for a moment when he heard this, frowning and asking, "Didn't the General Secretary really plan to find a reason to exile these two reckless guys to some minority autonomous region in the Far East as governors after the KGB investigation is completed? Is it possible that he can come back?"

Shevardnadze shook his head slightly: "I don't know if they can come back, but I know they can't go."

"Why, has the General Secretary changed his mind?"

"No, didn't you notice the big move by the Central Committee? Yeltsin was just removed from his post as First Secretary of Moscow by the General Secretary."

Kuzhugaitsky glared and said, "Is it because of what happened last month that things have become so tense?"

Yeltsin, as an advanced model of reform, suddenly blasted General Secretary Gorbachev and the Politburo for their subservience to the "traditional conservatives" within the party and their lack of courage when speaking at the Central Committee plenary session last month. This made Gorbachev very angry and the General Secretary lost face.

Recently, Yeltsin has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the progress of reform. Gorbachev, who could no longer tolerate it, finally took down his most trusted reformer and removed Yeltsin from his position as First Secretary of Moscow, but still retained his position as alternate member of the Politburo. The purpose was to give Yeltsin a warning, make him admit his mistakes and give in, so that Gorbachev would continue to use him.

But no one knew that Yelinqin, who was fearless after drinking, looked down on Gorbachev, who was too cautious, and it was impossible for him to admit his mistakes to Gorbachev.

After the news of Yeltsin's dismissal came out, there was an uproar both at the central and local levels.

As a reform general who the General Secretary had high hopes for and valued, Yeltsin actually fell out with the General Secretary.

You have to know that the General Secretary had just promoted Yeltsin as an advanced model of "big cities learning from Moscow's reform" two months ago, and within two months, the relationship between the two deteriorated. And the first secretary of Yalta, Haniyev, had just been transferred to the Central Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he caused a diplomatic incident when he visited Burkina Faso a few days ago and ran to Africa to export revolution. Gorbachev was very angry at the two so-called reform pioneers he valued at this time. He felt sick when he thought of his previous words "big cities learn from Moscow's reform, small cities learn from Yalta's reform".

Although Gorbachev has been very troubled recently, if he had just removed Yeltsin and then dealt with Haniyev, wouldn't that have proved that he had a poor vision? Wouldn't that have been like him treating his own words as farts and his own face as toilet paper?

Therefore, Shevardnadze was 80% to 90% sure that as long as Haniyev did not make any more moves at this critical juncture, the General Secretary would not deal with him anymore.

In a sense, Haniyev escaped disaster because Yeltsin took all the heat.

After returning to the cultural apartment, Haniyev chatted with Gorky, the gatekeeper, and learned the news that Yeltsin had been removed from his position as First Secretary of Moscow.

Haniyev knew that Yeltsin's dismissal by Gorbachev was the beginning of a feud between the two, and that Yeltsin's position as an alternate member of the Politburo might soon be in jeopardy. At that time, Yeltsin would take advantage of the reform trend and form a faction as a radical reformer to establish a new central government. It was also because of Gorbachev's idiocy that Yeltsin's power was not stifled, but would gradually grow stronger, and he would even get a big share of the reforms promoted by the Soviet Union.

Finally, after Yeltsin's power expanded to a certain extent, he personally promoted the reform of de-Soviet leadership and multi-party system, forcing Gorbachev to dissolve the Soviet Union.

Knowing that Yeltsin had gone from being a reform champion to a target of punishment overnight, Haniyev became somewhat worried about his future. He also knew that the day of the Soviet Union's disintegration was getting closer. He felt mixed emotions. The sense of urgency caused by his worries about his personal and national destiny made him unable to sleep well all night.

Chapter 150 Don’t worry

After waking up the next day, Haniyev was still worried, so he called Shevardnadze to find out.

Shevardnadze once again told Haniyev to go home and rest without worry. However, Haniyev was still a little worried, thinking that Potanin came from a high-ranking official family in Moscow and must be more familiar with the situation, so he called Potanin again.

The call was answered by Potanin's wife. After waiting for a few minutes, Potanin finally picked up the phone. He had just returned to the country and was not at work, so he asked Haniyev to come to his house to find him.

Half an hour later, Haniyev arrived at the Foreign Trade Bureau's staff quarters.

The entire family compound is made up of some old buildings, but these old buildings built during the Stalin era are fully equipped, and the nearby medical and educational facilities are also the best options in Moscow.

Even after decades, most of the people living here are still officials and cadres from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and a small number are leaders transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Trade to other ministries.

After a round of searching, they finally found Building 55 and climbed all the way to the third floor. As soon as Haniyev knocked on the door, Potanin had already opened it.

"Please come in quickly."

Haniyev walked closer and saw Potanin's wife coming out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit. She happened to be off work today.

After spending almost two months together, Haniyev and Potanin became close friends and knew each other very well.

Haniyev knew that Potanin's wife was the head nurse of the cardio-cerebral surgery department of the Third Air Force Hospital in the capital. He had heard Potanin say that she was beautiful when he was drunk before. When he saw her today, he found that she was indeed a fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Slavic beauty.

After a smile and a greeting, Potanin took Haniyev to the study.

As soon as Haniyev broke the news that Yeltsin had been dismissed by the General Secretary, Potanin chuckled and said, "I know that too. This isn't the General Secretary's fault. It was Yeltsin who got drunk and talked nonsense. He actually attacked the Politburo and Ligachev at the Central Congress for compromising with the conservatives and being slow in implementing reforms. Who is Ligachev?"

He was the Minister of Party Affairs and Secretary of the Central Secretariat, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee. He could be considered one of the top five Soviet figures. Ligachev was also the General Secretary's right-hand man for reforms and the organizer and promoter of Prohibition. Yeltsin's criticism of him was like slapping Gorbachev in the face. Of course, the General Secretary was angry, and Ligachev would not let him off. So Yeltsin's dismissal was entirely his own fault..."

"Oh, so this is the details."

Haniyev nodded. Potanin smiled mysteriously and whispered, "I've also heard a rumor, I'm not sure if it's true or not, but Yeltsin was a heavy drinker. Ligachev offended him when he launched a prohibition campaign. So, when Yeltsin attacked Ligachev at the conference last month, it wasn't just because he was dissatisfied with the central government's reform efforts, it was also because of personal grudges."

“It’s hard to say.”

Haniyev smiled slightly and said.

"Even a second-tier administrative leader (ministerial level) like Yeltsin can be removed without a second thought. Our general secretary is not very magnanimous. I heard from our ministers that the general secretary was planning to deal with us too. Will he remove us from our posts or send us to exile in the Far East?"

After learning of Haniyev's concerns, Potanin licked his lips and said, "No, I asked my father last night, and he's right. The General Secretary has already been criticized for not judging people by removing Yeltsin. Now he's going to touch you, a reform pioneer. What's going on? Two newly established reform leaders are both in trouble now. Where will his face be?"

Haniyev, also concerned, was flustered. After hearing Potanin's analysis, he gradually regained his composure and nodded. "Yes, Minister Potanin is right. We haven't openly opposed the General Secretary or made any rash comments about new reforms. At most, we acted recklessly. Logically, we should be punished with a minor disciplinary action or a severe warning, and most likely, we'll be dealt with coldly."

"That's right, Comrade Viktor Vladimirvich Haniyev, this is the kind of mind and quality you should have."

Potanin laughed and handed him a glass of vodka: "You're not going to work, have a drink."

Haniyev took a sip and asked, "How are you preparing the start-up capital for the gold mine?"

"My part is ready, and I've already paid the down payment for the equipment. Yours should be quick, too. We need to pay the balance when the equipment leaves the factory."

"Our director gave me a holiday to rest and let me go home to relax. I'm going to look for the money and I'll wire it to you next week at the latest. Please prepare the contract in advance so that we can settle accounts clearly as brothers."

"Of course. Just go back to Kiev and rest assured. I'll keep you informed of any developments in Moscow. I'll take care of the First Mining Company's personnel and equipment myself."

"Yes, I'll leave it all to you. If you need anything, please contact me immediately. I'll give you my home phone number."

As he spoke, Haniyev picked up the paper and pen in the study, wrote down the phone number of his home in Kiev and handed it to Potanin.

Potanin put the phone number away and said, "Have you bought the ticket?"

"Not yet. I'm used to being the municipal party secretary. I never had to handle ticket purchases myself. I haven't fully adapted to it yet. I'll go to the ticket hall this afternoon to check."

Potanin uttered a "Hey!" and turned to pick up the phone, saying to the operator, "Connect me to the airline."

With the help of Potanin Yanei, Haniyev got a ticket from Moscow to Kiev tonight without leaving his home.

At noon, Haniyev had a sumptuous lunch at Potanin's house. The main dishes were roasted pork knuckle and pepper, venison and bread stew, both of which were Potanin's wife's best dishes.

After dinner, the two finalized the details of the First Mining Company's preparations. Only then did Haniyev stand up with confidence. "I'll leave the First Mining Company's affairs to you. I'll go to the airport to wait for my flight."

Potanin held Haniyev and said, "I think we'll be able to get the gift Sankara gave us in the next couple of days. Where should I put it when I get it for you?"

"You can take care of the food and other things yourself. Just leave some for me. Please keep the ivory pendants and animal skin hats for me. I will come back and plan to give them away myself."

Potanin nodded slightly and said, "Okay, that's it. I'll take you to the airport."

"No, I can just take the subway or bus."

Seeing that Potanin was drunk, Haniyev waved his hand hurriedly. Although no one in the Soviet Union checked drunk driving now, Haniyev did not want to go home and take the risk of seeking excitement.

Potanin glared and said, "What? You don't trust my skills?"

Haniyev frowned. He had drunk quite a bit at noon, and the alcohol was taking its toll on him, making his words snarky. "You're not afraid of death, but I am. Just stay home and rest. We'll call if anything else matters!"

"Hey hey...you guy..."

After saying that, Haniyev opened the door and stumbled downstairs, with only Potanin's incessant shouting behind him.

Chapter 151 Going Home and Finding Money

Walking out of the Ministry of Foreign Trade’s staff quarters, the cold wind wrapped in snowflakes hit Haniyev’s face, which cheered him up and even reduced his drunkenness by 50%.

"Snapped!"

Haniyev slapped his forehead, his face flushing as he recalled how he'd just yelled in front of Potanin's wife. He shook his head and said, "Don't drink so much anymore. You'll easily say the wrong thing."

After a moment of self-reflection, Haniyev staggered to the bus stop and sat down.

With the cold wind blowing on his face and the alcohol taking effect, Haniyev was about to fall asleep while snuggling under the bus stop sign.

A fragrant breeze blew over, and Haniyev felt a hand patting his shoulder.

"Sir, sir, please wake up."

Haniyev opened his eyes and saw a tall woman pulling a suitcase with one hand and patting herself with the other.

"Oh, thank you. I was drunk and fell asleep. I'm lucky you were here."

Haniyev stood up and thanked her. The woman nodded slightly and asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm waiting for the airport shuttle bus."

"Oh, if you're going to the airport and you got on the wrong bus, you have to go across the street."

After expressing his gratitude, Haniyev went across the street and got on a bus to the airport about ten minutes later. He was alone in Moscow and did not need to make any preparations to go home. He could just leave at any time.

After returning home yesterday, Haniyev called home to report that he was safe, but he did not say when he would return to Kiev, so there was no one to pick him up when he came out of the Kiev airport.

It was already five o'clock in the morning, and Haniyev waited at the airport bus station for two hours before he got on the bus home.

Sitting in the car, Haniyev felt that compared to his previous life as a secretary where someone took care of everything for him, it seemed like he had returned to the time when he worked in the Forestry Commission and the forest farm.

The impatience in his heart was real. Haniyev shook his head secretly: "I've only been enjoying the life of a senior cadre for less than a year, and I'm already feeling a little out of touch with the masses. I can't adapt to doing everything myself. As expected, human inferiority is the most difficult to overcome. We must have very advanced cultural guidance and institutional management to ensure the purity of the political team. The privilege and corruption of the Soviet Union have lasted for decades and are deeply rooted. It is difficult to reverse the situation. In the future, after independence, if I can really lead Ukraine, I must find ways to build a government team that is combat-ready and cohesive, and that eliminates privilege and corruption. Ukraine has been ruined by oligarchs and several idiotic presidents before, and it cannot be ruined by me again!"

After becoming more vigilant and reflecting on his own sense of enjoyment, the car arrived near Haniyev's home and he hurriedly got out of the car and rushed home.

After turning Zhukov Street, Haniyev saw a Mercedes-Benz car coming towards him. Recently, with Gorbachev's economic reforms, many products from the Western world have begun to pour in, but not many people have the conditions and connections to get the famous brands from developed Western countries.

Mercedes-Benz cars are very popular, and it is absolutely difficult to get one unless you are from a leading family in a Ukrainian ministry or above.

However, when Haniyev looked through the windshield of the Mercedes-Benz, he saw the handsome face of a young man who looked somewhat similar to himself.

"Sidlov?"

The driver was Haniyev's younger brother, Siderov. He had obviously spotted his brother and quickly turned the car around, stopped, opened the door, and said happily, "Brother, you're back, and why didn't you tell me so I could pick you up at the airport?"

Haniyev walked in front of the car, turned around, patted the car body, and praised it: "This car is really nice. Where did you get it? Our father's status is not high enough to get a ticket, right?"

"It was a car ration voucher my eldest sister-in-law gave me. Our truck broke down and couldn't be driven. Mom and Dad thought I wanted to date and get married, and my work place was too far, so they bought this car."

Sidlov chuckled, opened the passenger door, and said, "Get in the car. I'll take you home. You can drive this car for the next few days when you come back."

"Your sister-in-law?"

Haniyev got in the passenger seat and asked, "Tatyana?"

"Of course. How many fiancées do you have?"

Sidlov started the car slowly and said, "My sister-in-law said that it was ration coupons that her brother-in-law got. They already have a car, so it would be a waste to keep it, so she gave it to me."

Haniyev nodded. "Yushchenko is the director of the National Bank's Economic Planning Department. He does have the means to obtain ration coupons for imported cars, but buying this car must have cost a lot of money, right?"

Sidlov nodded. "The Foreign Trade Bureau wanted 1.8 rubles. Mom paid half, and we got a loan from Director Yushchenko for the rest."

Haniyev shook his head slightly. Although he felt that for a family like his, buying an imported Mercedes-Benz car was a bit extravagant and would make his family seem indulgent, but now from Moscow to Kiev, the children of high-ranking officials have started to buy Western luxury brands. From cars, watches, perfumes to clothes and shoes, young people in several capitals are proud to be able to get a famous brand from developed Western countries.

The West overwhelming the East has been the mainstream of the times in recent years. From the Soviet Union to Khitan, the two big brothers of the socialist camp have been licking the West to varying degrees. Even the heads of state are fawning on and yearning for the Western capitalist life, not to mention the ordinary people.

If there is something good on the top, it will be great on the bottom.

Haniyev knew that the trend had already been established, and licking the United States and the European Union would be the mainstream in the Soviet and Eastern European member states for the next 20 years. He was now powerless and had no influence, so even if he wanted to change it, he was powerless to reverse it.

As they were talking, the two brothers arrived home.

Mrs. Natalia, who heard the noise, came out and hugged her eldest son excitedly when she saw him coming back.

"My little Victor is back. Why didn't you tell me in advance what time your flight was and what your schedule was like? You must be starving. Mommy will make you breakfast!"

Natalia kept nagging Haniyev, but Haniyev did not show any impatience. After saying hello to his brother who was going to work, Haniyev followed his mother back to the room to have breakfast.

Father Vladimir also took the bus to work early. My sister Victoria is going to take the college entrance examination next year and has been living on campus recently, so she is not at home either.

After a hearty breakfast, Haniyev called Yalta from his home phone.

After a long wait, the call was finally connected across thousands of miles. After confirming that it was Vyshevsky on the other end, Haniyev asked directly, "Yuri (Vyshevsky), is the money I asked you to prepare ready?"

After a moment's silence, Vyshchesky's voice rang out from the microphone: "Victor, you asked for half a million. Although our health care company is very profitable, it's too obvious that we've embezzled so much at once. After you left, the provincial Party Committee and the Soviet set their sights on this lucrative piece of the health care company. Fortunately, you arranged a new team when you left, and everyone is your people, so we didn't get too much benefit from the provincial Party Committee. Now the provincial Party Committee is hoping we make a mistake, so that they can then seize the health care company. So I'm afraid your half a million rubles will have to wait a while."

"How long we have to wait?"

"I have Bangya cooking the books every day and squeezing out 10,000 rubles a day. I started doing it last month after I received your international telegram. Now we should have around 300,000. You just wait for half a month and it should be almost enough."

Haniyev knew that he was no longer in charge of Yalta, and many things would not be as convenient as before. He pondered for a moment and said, "I'm going back to Kyiv for vacation. I should be able to stay at home for more than half a month. I need money in five days at most. How about this? You come back in five days and raise 40 yuan for me. Bring the money here in person. You and I have special identities. We can't go to the bank to transfer money. It will be discovered by those who are interested.

I need to ask Yushchenko to secretly transfer the money to Potanin in Moscow. The project to mine the gold in Burkina Faso has already started, and we can't let our money hold us back! "

Vishevsky's dull voice said, "Alright, I'll be back in five days with 40 yuan. We'll talk about it when we meet."