STREETS AND NAMES

Petro Grigorenko

(1907-1987)

Petro Grigorenko was a high-ranked Soviet Army commander of Ukrainian descent, later a prominent Soviet human rights activist, dissident and writer.
Petro Grigorenko was born in a village of rural Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine. He went on a military career and reached high ranks during the World War II. After the war, being a decorated veteran, he left active career and taught at the Frunze Military Academy, reaching the rank of a Major General.
In 1961 Grigorenko criticized Nikita Khruschev's policy and was transferred to the Russian Far East as punishment. In 1963 he created the Union of Struggle for the Restoration of Leninism. In the 1960s Grigorenko became a member of the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group. The authorities sent him to a psychiatric imprisonment from 1964-1965, and he was stripped of his military rank, medals, and retirement benefits.
After his release, Grigorenko actively participated in the struggle for the Crimean Tatar autonomy, and demonstrated against the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and became a leading figure in Soviet human rights movement along with his fellow celebrated dissidents Vladimir Bukovsky, Andrei Sakharov, Alexander Yesenin-Volpin and others.
He was arrested on May 7, 1969 and incarcerated for five years. Colonel-Doctor Lunts diagnosed his activities as evidence of paranoid schizophrenia and arranged to have him sent to the Chernyakhovsk prison hospital.
Grigorenko was one of the first who questioned the official Soviet version of World War II history. In 1977, when Grigorenko left for medical treatment in the United States, he was stripped of his Soviet citizenship.

Petro Grigorenko Street

Petro Grigorenko Street begins from the crossing of Boris Hmyria Street and Solomia Krushelnytska Street. On the right side of the street you can find houses with even numeration, and on the left side, accordingly, houses with odd numeration. Its general length along the road is 2,6 kilometers. I think you wouldn’t be tired after walking it along. But if you can’t foot it, you may catch one of a fixed - route taxies, e.g. # 487, 492 or catch a tram #8.
As Petro Grigorenko Street is situated in a new residential area there are a lot of newly built high-storeyed houses. The street begins with two enormous gipermarkets “Metro Cash & Carry” and “Epicenter”, where you can find everything you want.Then you can easily find a lot of kiosks, shops, even in the residential houses, such as “Laminate & Parquet”, “Curtains”, car service “ Delta Motors”, auditors firm “AKSIS”, ZHEK#211, “World of doors”, “Svetskaja zhizn” etc. There you can’t pass by the salon “Beauty”, stomatology “ABOT”, furniture shop “Mebli”, Chemist’s. While walking along the street you can also see a water pump and very bright and nice children’s playground. Near the pump you can find the Center of financial favours, Credits & Deposits, Peggy Style beauty salon, the driving school, the shop of Burning tours, computer service and some building services.
Petro Grigorenko Street is quite admirable in spring & summer because of greenery, nice park and flower-beds. Inhabitants living in this street like to spend their free time in the park & nearby cafes. This park is one of the most attractive places with its picturesque scenery around. There are a lot of things to do here. The park is situated not far from the underground station “Pozniaky”. There’s a little but lovely lake, a lot of benches, wonderful children’s playground and other summer attractions. But some of them are open all year. So I don’t think it would be boring to spend time here. In any case there is something unusual, attractive in this park. There’s even one monument, which says that this path is the alley of agreement.
There is a bridge over Mykola Bazhan prospect. Along the whole road we can see bigboards advertising shops, products, some road signs. Under the bridge there’s an underground station “Poznjaky”. After the bridge on the right side near the crossing of P.Grigorenko Street and Dragomanov Street is situated a temporary Circus “Kobzov” which you can visit and enjoy the show.
Next evident building is the trade center “Bashta Plus”, which has a very interesting architecture. It looks like a castle from a fairy tale. Here you can also find a dry-cleaner and some other services. Then you‘ll pass by “Repairing clothes” kiosk and one of the numerous departments of “Ukrtelekom” company. On the opposite side you can see a great parking, so if you come here by car, it isn’t difficult to find a place to park you car. Behind the parking you can easily find branches of some banks such as “VAB bank”, “Alfa bank”, bank “Stolytsia”, supermarket “Velyka Kyshenia”, cafes and a variety of the most different shops. While walking along the road you can see the signboard of the private clinic “ALFA”. At once behind the clinic you can find a day-nursery #7, private kindergarten & a school “Harmony” and the lyceum “Naykova zmina”. At the crossing of Anna Ahmatova Street & P.Grigorenko Street you can find Optics.
There are no industrial enterprises in this street. It is attractive by its modern architecture &beauty. Personally I advise you to take a walking tour of the street. If you are interested in architecture you shouldn’t fail to see “Bashta Plus” in the first place. It took me not very much time to travel along the street because it is straight and not so long. Only sometimes you can see here heavy traffic. But despite this all kinds of vehicles ride up and down the street: lorries, taxes, private cars. There are some road crosses and underground passages there. Mostly you can see ten- and twelve-storeyed buildings in this street.
Speaking about this street I would like to mention that it is quite a good place for living. Here you can find all you need: shops, banks, schools, clinics, parking, cafes, a nice park, beauty salons, in one word everything for comfortable living.

Vira Lungol, 10-A Form, 16 years

Anastasia Prytova 10-B Form, 16 years