In July 1976. his mother died and he was reported to be in very low spirits. In October 1976. again on the anniversary of the massacre at Babi Yar. he visited the site and was given "rough treatment" by the police. In March 1977 he. and six others in Kiev. declared a hunger strike which lasted 5 days. in protest at not receiving any reply to their request to be given exit visas or a reason for the refusal. Meanwhile his telephone had been reconnected. but after he had renounced his Soviet citizenship in a letter to Mr. Brezhnev. his telephone was again disconnected.