Millennium Disasters Abound at Ukraine's Y2K Crisis Center By Marina Sysoyeva Associated Press Writer

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Hunched over a round table, alarmed officials peered into computer displays as they heard the news: A Boeing-747 crashed over the city of Lviv, killing all on board.

Soon, emergency services in Lviv were reporting that the disaster had been dealt with, and the victims were identified and buried.

"How can you bury them if I told you these were foreign passengers on board!" roared Gen. Viktor Hrechaninov, Ukraine's first deputy emergency situations minister, his face red and sweating.

The exercise at Ukraine's main Y2K crisis center went on with more reports of frightening, though imaginary, events: An accident at a chemical plant spilled tons of poisonous substances; two subway trains collided in Kiev, trapping passengers in the burning cars.

Western government reports have listed this former Soviet republic as among the nations that might face serious millennium-bug disruptions and Ukraine is preparing itself for the big test on Dec. 31.

Hrechaninov's center will go on full alert and work round the clock in 12-hour shifts from 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, staffed by dozens of deputy ministers and emergency experts.

Located in the Emergency Situations Ministry headquarters in Kiev, the center has Internet, radio and telephone links with similar centers in Ukraine's outlying regions and with authorities in

Russia, the United States and NATO.

On Thursday, Hrechaninov, the deputy minister, invented mock catastrophes for the regional crisis centers, who then reported to their superiors at the various government agencies. These came up with a plan of action that had to be approved or altered by the main center in Kiev.

Ministry spokesman Oleh Bykov boasted that it took only minutes for an action plan to be adopted.

Mine rescuers, firefighters, investigators and emergency medical vehicles, for instance, were sent to deal with the imaginary subway disaster. In 40 minutes, all passengers were reported lifted to the ground, but 150 of them required medical help.

"Cooperative efforts are bringing positive results," a worried-looking Hrechaninov told reporters. "But a commander of any training mission cannot be satisfied 100 percent."

The two-day exercise yielded some very real and alarming results.

Emergency officials decided that trains in Ukraine will halt all movement for an hour starting at 11:50 p.m. on Dec. 31 "to make sure that the switches had been shifted correctly," said Hrechaninov.

They also recommended that all airlines avoid flying over Ukraine between 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 2 a.m. on Jan. 1; ordered the chiefs of dangerous enterprises to stay at work during the rollover, and ruled that the country's more than 200 coal mines would stop working on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Asked to identify the main areas of Y2K concern, Hrechaninov cited the natural gas sector including international pipelines such as the Soviet-era Druzhba and air navigation systems.

"In Kiev, I'm mostly concerned about Kievenergo," the company that supplies energy to the city of more than 3 million people, Hrechaninov added.

Other officials, meanwhile, took pains to dispel millennium-bug fears.

The state Energoatom company said in a statement that all of Ukraine's five nuclear power plants were "ready to confront the Year 2000 problem and ensure safe work of the plants."

The Energy Ministry, in turn, said Ukraine's unstable electricity system would not collapse, provided that it adheres to the required balance of power production and consumption.

"We have taken all the measures in order to avoid the Y2K problem in the energy sphere and have the people meet New Year with lights in their homes," said Deputy Energy Minister Oleksandr Bolkisev.

But Hrechaninov, tensely surveying his busy subordinates, could not offer such assurances.

"We're doing everything to prevent Y2K disruptions," the general said, "but I'm not giving a full guarantee."

AP-ES-12-17-99 0121EST

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 17, 1999

Answers

"We're doing everything to prevent Y2K disruptions," the general said, "but I'm not giving a full guarantee."

Clinton one day ago "We are 100% compliant"....

Who do you believe???????

I give the fuck up with this country...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 17, 1999.

Andy,

I think the General was talking about Ukraine.

As far as Clinton, he said 99.9%, and well you know how that goes... that .1% can be used to explain ANYTHING.

You will never see any politician make a 100% commitment on anything.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.

Andy,

It's nice to see you posting regularly again. Take care...

Sharon

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), December 17, 1999.