Alexander Kolevatov and Semyon Zolotaryov

[Kayers3]

So, there has been constant speculation about Zolotaryov's past and the possibility that he was a KGB agent along with several other things, but, I was reading up on Aleksander Kolevatov on the Dyatlov Pass website www.dyatlovpass.com (the website for this forum) and from what I've read, it seems that Kolevatov had a slightly obscure past as well. Especially with how he went from having poor to average grades in primary school to receiving far better grades after joining the Komsomol to excelling in German and somehow obtaining a position in Moscow at a top secret nuclear plant and getting paid more than most other people, even in the part of Moscow that he lived in. Is there a possibility that Kolevatov was working for the government as some kind of spy?

[Ziljoe]

The speculation is just that ,speculation. The top secret context is just how things were titled or the paper work control of the facilities.

Many of the students and population were involved in industries that had an element of don't say too much.

For me the reality is the population heavily engaged in the sport of tourism, going back many year's all over the soviet union. The hike and route is completely standard to what everyone else were doing .

The assembly of  for the dyatlov was completely random. Certain individuals were going to join but had to pull out for other commitments, then others applied and so on.

There are no hidden bases or anything of interest on the route , it's basically inaccessible by machine for hundreds of miles, it's by foot, ski, sledge or helicopter to get to these mountain tops.

Why a spy would be bothered to be on a hike with students going to the middle of no where to interfere with a grade 3 certificate for its participants carries little motive.

Personally I see no link. Fatalities from these hikes were not unique over the years. They are documented in many archives and training manuals.

If he was working as a spy , I don't think it has anything to do with the hike, he was using his time off to do what he enjoyed.

[amashilu]

Zijoe writes: The assembly of  for the dyatlov was completely random.
You don't know this.

Ziljoe writes: There are no hidden bases or anything of interest on the route
You don't know this.

Ziljoe writes: Why a spy would be bothered to be on a hike with students going to the middle of no where to interfere with a grade 3 certificate for its participants carries little motive.
You don't know this.

[Ziljoe]

The assembly of  for the dyatlov was completely random.
You don't know this.

There are no hidden bases or anything of interest on the route
You don't know this.

Why a spy would be bothered to be on a hike with students going to the middle of no where to interfere with a grade 3 certificate for its participants carries little motive.
You don't know this.

There are a lot of things I don't know . I don't actually know if the earth orbits the sun or if the earth is flat but given the explanation and science, it's most probably the case that the world is round.

Regarding the assembly of the group, there's reasonable testimony by Igors friends that the hike had been planned for may be up to a year, due to commitments, at least 3 could not go. Letters were circulated , those willing were penciled in. Zolo was to go on another hike but as the space came available in Igor's group it was requested that he join this hike as he wished not to wait for a later hike.

Regarding hidden bases , no hidden base has been reported, not then and not now. One could argue there was a campsite of some sort but not a base. It could only ever be something temporary given the terrain, vehicles can't get in and out without making a road. Getting supplies to the area is extremely difficult even for the searchers by helicopter. There was a facility built on one of the mountain tops close by many years later , I think it was a radar station but that is not a secret today, the documents and evidence remain.

Regarding a reason for a spy to go on a hike requires a motive or intention. To commit some kind incident or murder needs something tangible. There is nothing I can see to give reason that a lone participant acted .

Of course we have to speculate to raise hypothetical questions to stimulate possible scenarios . Unfortunately, no one replied to Kayers3 or offered any other insight so I thought I'd share my thoughts.
It easy to write "you don't know this" to everything we spout and write and I'm not sure of your tone .

Perhaps you could add a constructive counter argument or evidence that supports that someone was acting as a spy, that there was a secret base or that the group was deliberately selected.?

[amashilu]

Ziljoe posts:  It easy to write "you don't know this" to everything we spout and write and I'm not sure of your tone .
Perhaps you could add a constructive counter argument or evidence that supports that someone was acting as a spy, that there was a secret base or that the group was deliberately selected.?

No, I cannot add any information because in this case, information is missing and these things are not known. I try, in my general life as well as on the forum, not to make declarative statements about things I don't know to be true.

[SURI]

Regarding a reason for a spy to go on a hike requires a motive or intention. To commit some kind incident or murder needs something tangible. There is nothing I can see to give reason that a lone participant acted .

You are forgetting Ivanov’s words about the killing, the motive, and the "wildness" of the group. Add to that the encrypted diaries, encrypted letters, and a case file without a number. And as the icing on the cake — Zolotaryov’s camera.

[Ziljoe]

Ziljoe posts:  It easy to write "you don't know this" to everything we spout and write and I'm not sure of your tone .
Perhaps you could add a constructive counter argument or evidence that supports that someone was acting as a spy, that there was a secret base or that the group was deliberately selected.?

No, I cannot add any information because in this case, information is missing and these things are not known. I try, in my general life as well as on the forum, not to make declarative statements about things I don't know to be true.

You’re right that there’s a lot we don’t know, and I agree it’s sensible not to make declarative statements. My earlier comment wasn’t meant as a firm conclusion — only a summary of what the documented chronology shows about how the group came together.

For example, the site’s own chronology notes:

“The organization of the group did not proceed as smoothly as Igor would have liked… Blinov was invited to head another hike… several hikers could not go due to diploma deadlines or work leave… Bienko was replaced by Zolotaryov… Popov was not released from work.”

It also records that the original team approved by the commission consisted of thirteen people, and that Igor only became leader because Blinov was reassigned. Leadership wasn’t required for Grade III — the requirement was completing a trek of the appropriate difficulty — which is why Zolotaryov joined the group simply to fulfil the standard for his Master of Sports certification.

Based on the case files and letters, the assembly seems to have been shaped by ordinary logistical factors rather than anything coordinated. For context, the formation involved:

• availability and exam schedules 
• students being denied leave from work 
• people dropping out because of diploma deadlines 
• others switching to different treks 
• Dyatlov only becoming leader because Blinov was reassigned 
• Popov wanting to join but not being released 
• Vishnevskiy failing an exam and losing permission 
• Verhoturov not even knowing he was listed 
• Zolotaryov joining only because Bienko couldn’t get leave 
• several hikers joining because their own treks failed to organise 

when I describe the group formation as “random,” I’m not suggesting chaos — only that the constant changes in membership make it very hard to support theories involving deliberate targeting or a planned mission. With people dropping out, others substituting in, Igor only becoming leader because Blinov left, and Zolotaryov joining solely because Bienko couldn’t get leave, it’s difficult to construct a scenario where someone could intentionally assemble this specific group for a covert purpose. The way the team finally came together simply doesn’t align with the idea of a pre‑selected mission or insider.

I’m not claiming certainty — just outlining what the existing documentation supports. If new information ever emerges about deliberate selection or hidden activity on the route, I’d be very interested in it. For now I’m simply working with what’s recorded in the case files .

[amashilu]

You are forgetting Ivanov’s words about the killing, the motive, and the "wildness" of the group. Add to that the encrypted diaries, encrypted letters, and a case file without a number. And as the icing on the cake — Zolotaryov’s camera.

Suri, Axelrod has posted a transcript from Olga Galanina explaining why there is no case number. Summarized:

 "....  the pre-investigation inquiry did not exist prior to 1960. If a report regarding the suspected murder of hikers was received and it was unclear whether the elements of a crime were present, a criminal case number could not be assigned until the investigator had determined whether such elements existed. After all, without the elements of a crime, it is clear the case would never make it to trial.

Ivanov and Tempalov spent that entire time looking for the elements of a crime and pursuing various theories, but they never found the necessary elements. That is why no case number was assigned. It makes perfect sense! It wasn't a criminal case because the elements of a crime were missing. This is what is now known as the verification of a crime report, or a pre-investigation inquiry. That explains the absence of a case number. However, in 1959, the pre-investigation inquiry did not exist."

You frequently mention that the fact the DPI has no case number plays a significant part in your theory. I am wondering if Galanina's explanation changes your thinking? If so, and you want to go into the topic more, I can move this to its own heading and we can discuss it thoroughly.