Alexander Zlotnik's View on the Death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk
In an interview with Dmytro Gordon, Ukrainian National Artist Alexander Zlotnik expressed his firm belief regarding the death of the renowned composer Volodymyr Ivasyuk. He dismissed the official suicide theory, stating his conviction that it was, in fact, a murder. Zlotnik suggested that the motives could have involved money, blackmail, or Ivasyuk's professional activities. Ivasyuk is a legendary figure in Ukrainian music, best known for composing the iconic song 'Chervona Ruta'.
Volodymyr Ivasyuk, the Ukrainian musician, disappeared on April 24, 1979. His parents filed a report with the police that same day. The search for Ivasyuk lasted from April 27 to May 11, 1979. His body was discovered on May 18, 1979, in the Briukhovychi Forest. The official investigation concluded it was a suicide, citing a mental illness for which Ivasyuk had been treated at the Lviv Regional Psychiatric Hospital.
Zlotnik's Rejection of the Official Narrative
Zlotnik, who studied with Ivasyuk at a music boarding school and was his roommate in a dormitory, emphasized that Ivasyuk could not have inflicted such pain on his family. He noted:
'I am convinced he could not have dealt such a blow to his relatives. He had wonderful relationships with his sisters, his father, and his mother.' - Alexander Zlotnik
Zlotnik added that while Ivasyuk could have confused day and night due to overwork, this did not indicate any intent to commit suicide.
Alexander Zlotnik speculated that Ivasyuk may have been blackmailed: 'I lean toward the idea that someone pressured him and demanded money. I even had a dream about it; I was sure they were extorting money from him and, apparently, he didn't pay.' He also recalled that Ivasyuk had chosen a specific musical direction, including songs in Russian, and believed that blackmail and extortion were definitely present in this case.
The death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk remains an unsolved mystery, and theories about its cause continue to spark numerous debates among his colleagues and admirers.
The circumstances surrounding the death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk, one of Ukraine's most famous composers, still raise many questions and fuel speculation. The lack of definitive evidence about the cause of his demise, along with the numerous versions put forward by those close to him, indicates this topic remains relevant for understanding Ukrainian music history. Each new testimony, like that of Alexander Zlotnik, can introduce new elements to the understanding of this tragedy that occurred over four decades ago.