net ics ▁at ▁the ▁F run ze ▁Military ▁Academy ▁and ▁chairman ▁of ▁its ▁cy ber net ic ▁section ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁diss idents . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s ▁Gr ig oren ko ▁helped ▁to ▁found ▁the ▁Moscow ▁Hels ink i ▁Group ▁and ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁Hels ink i ▁Group , ▁before ▁leaving ▁the ▁USS R ▁for ▁medical ▁treatment ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Soviet ▁government ▁bar red ▁his ▁return , ▁and ▁he ▁never ▁again ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁In ▁the ▁words ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Als op , ▁Gr ig oren ko ▁public ly ▁den ounced ▁the ▁" total itar ian ism ▁that ▁h ides ▁behind ▁the ▁mask ▁of ▁so - called ▁Soviet ▁dem ocracy ." ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Pet ro ▁Gr ig oren ko ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Bor is ov ka ▁village ▁in ▁T aur ida ▁Governor ate , ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁( in ▁present - day ▁Z apor iz h ia ▁O blast , ▁Ukraine ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁hon ors ▁from ▁the ▁K uy b ys he v ▁Military ▁Engineering ▁Academy ▁and ▁the ▁Military ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁of ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁of ▁Russia . ▁He ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁batt les ▁of ▁Kh alk hin ▁Gol , ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁on ▁the ▁Man ch ur ian ▁border ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁He ▁commanded ▁troops ▁in ▁initial ▁batt les ▁following ▁