Unable to legally leave the USSR, Stanislav Kurilov began to prepare for escape. This idea matured in him for a long time, and found a way out spontaneously when he saw an ad for a cruise tour on the liner "Soviet Union", in December 1974, traveling fr om Vladivostok to the equator and back without calling at ports. Since the ship did not call at foreign ports, an exit visa was not required to participate in the cruise.
Having calculated the optimal route on the map, on the night of December 13, 1974, Stanislav jumped from the stern from a height of more than 12 meters. Narrowly avoiding being hit by the ship's propellers, he put on his fins, mask, and snorkel and swam to shore. Without sleep, food and drink, and without sea equipment, Kurilov sailed in the open ocean for almost three days. He survived, having escaped to the shore of the island of Siargao (Philippines). Due to problems with navigation and currents, the planned eighteen kilometers turned into almost a hundred. The endurance shown by Kurilov was promoted, according to him, by long-term yoga classes.
The Filipinos took Kurilov to the city of Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, and information about his escape got into the international press.
After an investigation conducted by the Philippine authorities, and being in custody, he was deported to Canada, received Canadian citizenship.
The escape was reported by the Voice of America radio station. Kurilov was sentenced in absentia in the USSR to 10 years in prison for treason.
Here are my thoughts on this.
The most funny and paradoxical thing is that, most likely, the great and legendary fugitive from the USSR, Stanislav Kurilov, later concluded that he had exchanged one lack of freedom for another lack of freedom...and the most valuable thing was not freedom as a result, but freedom - as a desire and actions in the direction of obtaining freedom, which does not exist, but is only chronic lack of freedom.
Although all this is a philosophical question. The problem of causality and causelessness of everything and everything!
Politics is an immature stage of survival. Maturity begins with the entry into it of philosophy, in particular, of Truth. This is the end of politics. Kurilov was not free on the basis of one policy, and then became not free on the basis of another policy. Apparently, survival and everything around it is always the realm of unfreedom.
Apparently, when he grew up, he more objectively assessed all that happened to him. It was the impulse of the soul of a young progressive man! And that's fine! The bold madness of the young-that's what keeps progress in all areas: science, art, politics, etc.
Some people don't talk about freedom, but about something else. About the benefits. Listen to the" free " homeless people around the world and they will tell you who they depend on and who puts pressure on them. It has its own system again. There are restrictions everywhere. Only dreamers talk about the fact that there are no restrictions somewhere. Here, it is necessary to speak specifically about the components of public institutions, for example, the judicial system. Or about the perversions that take place in all countries due to the era of postmodernism.
Socialism, with its contradictions, is an unknown topic. Socialism and freedom, capitalism and freedom-the topics are even more murky and contradictory.
But I am sure that Kurilov never regretted his action. This is his native act, this is himself! And it took place! Only a borderline and critical situation reveals our Essence to us! And great Happiness to feel it! And you don't have to jump from a steamer to the Pacific Ocean to do that. The choice and exit to the Path to Your Essence can be made from any point wh ere a person stands. The only problem is that not everyone is capable of it! For some, you need circumstances : a steamer and the Pacific Ocean. For some, these circumstances are not necessary and they take this Path at any point in their lives. Even a couch publicist can pick up a topic and take this Path. Journalism is power! Make up your mind ! Everything is in Your Power!
Associate Professor of the Institute of Psychology and Education of KFU, Candidate of Psychological Sciences Ramil Garifullin
