Biography
Aleksey was born in February 1978 in the settlement of Mayna (Khakassia), where he lived his entire life except for his period of mandatory military service. His mother raised Aleksey and his older sister on her own. She had to work a lot — as a cook in a kindergarten and as a ward assistant in a hospital — so their grandmother played a major role in raising the children. In her final years, Aleksey's mother suffered from dementia, and he cared for her until her death in 2023.
Since childhood, Aleksey has been involved in sports and loved boxing. Before his arrest, he was passionate about weightlifting and regularly went to the gym. He also enjoys riding an enduro motorcycle off-road.
After finishing the 9th grade, Aleksey immediately started working to help his mother financially. He learned the professions of auto mechanic, metalworker, and bodyguard. He worked in security, and for the last 17 years he was an electrolyzer operator at an aluminum plant.
Aleksey began studying the Bible after seeing how his childhood friend changed for the better because of it. He wanted to have the same kind of faith. He was moved by the fulfillment of biblical prophecies in our time. He was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2000. "The truth made me more patient and calmer; my relationships with my sister and mother became closer," he said. Seeing these changes in her son, his mother also chose the Christian path.
In 2001, Aleksey married Natalya, who shares his religious beliefs. She has two daughters, whom Aleksey raised as his own. Both are now adults with families of their own. The family loved going out into nature together and sitting by the campfire, enjoying God's creations.
Aleksey was two years away from retirement when, because of criminal prosecution, he was forced to submit a resignation letter "of his own accord" — he was told the order came from the FSB. After his arrest, all financial responsibilities fell on his wife.
Aleksey's children and other relatives are outraged by his persecution. The actions of law enforcement took a toll on the health of both Natalya and Aleksey: their chronic conditions worsened. Natalya, who suffered a stroke in 2017 and has a disability, noted, "The separation has deeply affected our emotional state. In 25 years, we had never been apart for so long."