Witness reports and interrogations of numerous people were carried out as part of the official criminal investigation of the Dyatlov Pass Incident. The source of these testimonies is taken from the official case.
Interrogation of the witness Yudin Y.E.
Sheet 293
witness interrogation protocol
April 15, 1959 The public prosecutor of the investigation department
of the Sverdlovsk region prosecutor's office junior counselor of
justice Romanov on this date questioned a witness, in compliance
with an article 168 162 Code of Criminal Procedure
1. Full name: Yuri Efimovich Yudin
2. Year of birth: born in 1937 3. Place of birth: village Babar,
Sverdlovsk region.
4. Nationality: Russian.
5. Party affeliation: Member of Komsomol (youth organization
controlled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union)
6. Education:s studying in the 4th course of UPI, Engineering
Department 480
7. Work: the same.
8. Conviction: no convictions from his words.
9. Address. Sverdlovsk, ul. Komsomolskaya, 70/10, (building number
8), k. 531.
10. No Passport on him
11. Relationship to the accused: -
Witness is warned about first part of the Article of the RSFSR
Criminal Code for refusing to testify and under Art. 95 for
knowingly giving false testimony.
Yudin - signature
The witness: I am a member of the UPI tourist section. Until 1959, I
participated in 6 campaigns, most recently participated in the
campaign of the III category of difficulty. It was in summer of
1958. In winter of 1959 I participate in the category II hike.
Therefore, according to the instructions I had the right to
participate in the winter hike of category III difficulty.
During the winter break in (February) late January and early
February 1959, participants of the tourist section of UPI planed a
hiking trip. Student Dyatlov anticipated hike of the III category at
the Northern Urals difficulties with students of the 5th year [in
college]. Along with him the campaign was joined by 9 or 10 people.
In December 1958, several members refused to go. Then I, Doroshenko
and two other students - Bienko and Wisniewski asked Dyatlov to join
the group, because we knew that he had the right to lead a campaign
III category of difficulty.
Our group was originally composed of 11 people: me, Dyatlov,
Kolmogorova, Dubinina, Doroshnko, Kolevatov, Krivonischenko,
Slobodin, Thibault-Brignoles, Bienko and Wisniewski. Subsequently,
Wisniewski and Bienko decided not to participate in the hike. Two
days before leaving for a trip were joined by a group instructor
Zolotarev SA from Kour Hostel. Nobody knew him before the hike.
The area where we had to go was outlined in late December 1958, when
almost all were assembled. It was decided to start the trek from the
village Vizhay. Make it to the ridge, before that it was necessary
to reach the village Second North, then go along the ridge and back
to the village of Vijay.
Sheet 294
Dyatlov offered to go top of the mountain, or rather to visit the
top of the mountain Otorten, there was no objection. The project of
a hike was suggested by Dyatlov, he then distributed
responsibilities to the group members.
For expenses during the campaign and the campaign itself, each
participant had to pay 350 rubles. The money were collected by
Kolevatov or Dubinina. Or, more precisely, the money were collected
by Dubinina. The trade union committee gave us money for 7 people
with a total amount of 1100 roubles. Since Zolotarev, Slobodin, and
Thibault and Krivonischenko were not students of UPI. The trade
union could not allocate money and they had to donate 350 rubles.
Whether they braught the money, I do not know.
On the money collected we bought:. Food and different things and
tools needed in the campaign as well as a first aid kit, notepads,
pencils, materials for thermal insulation of the tent, etc., of all,
I do not remember. Backpacks, skis, boots, tents, ice ax and others.
We also recieved part of the equipment from the institute
On the basis of the sports club we also received UPI jackets, ski
suits, some of the participants were in their ski suits.
I believe that the clothing and equipment of the participants fully
meet the requirements of winter hiking. The only disadvantage is
that the group did not have alcohol, but it is not given by any of
the instructions.
All the participants of the hikes were
sufficiently trained and had the right to join the hike since they
were participated in many other hikes of various difficulty.
We left Sverdlovsk on 22/01/59 (January 22nd) and arrived in
Ivdel at night of January 25th, where the bus left the next day
January 26, 1959 in the afternoon. the same day came to the village
of 41st Quarter. There we spent the night in a
loggers hostel. On 27th (number is
corrected to "28" , but the diary
states it was 27th) of January 1959, our group went skiing in the
direction of the village Second North. In the evening of January 27,
1959 we arrived in the village Second North, where spent a night in
an abandoned hut.
My leg began hurting, I could not participate in the campaign, so on
January 28, 1959 I left Second North and returned to Ivdel. And the
remaining 9 people went on the ski hike with their full gear.
Question: What can you add to your testimony?
Answer: I have no amendments. Recorded testament is true, I read it.
I want to add that Zolotarev in the campaign behaved well. He was
disciplined and there is nothing bad I can tell about him.
Yudin (signature)
Interrogator: - signature
Question: When you parted with Comrade Dyatlov, did he tell
you that the return date will be moved from the February 2nd to
February 15th of 1959?
Answer: No, there was no talk about the
deadline being postponed to 15 / II-'59. But the group members said
that they planned to return to Sverdlovsk on February 15 and
Krivonischenko requested to inform his parents. Also we told the
villagers of Vizhaya that we will get back on a 15 February.
Recorded testimony from my words are written correctly.
Interrogator - signature Yudin