Biography
In February 2026, Ruslan and Roza Tazýrov were placed in pretrial detention because of their faith in Jehovah God. What happened shocked not only their relatives: colleagues and acquaintances also openly express their bewilderment. "They are religious people, but you can't take away someone's freedom for that," one colleague said.
Ruslan was born in December 1974 in the village of Usmanovo, Kunashaksky District, Chelyabinsk Region. There were three sons in the family: one brother is 9 years younger than Ruslan and his older brother has passed away. His mother worked her entire life as a construction worker at a Sovkhoz — a state-owned agricultural enterprise during the Soviet era. She is known for her hospitality. Now she has retired. Ruslan's father was highly regarded at the same farm, where he worked as a combine operator and driver. Thanks to his parents' upbringing, Ruslan grew up to be a kind, cheerful, and hospitable person; he developed a liking for working with machinery and wood.
As a child, Ruslan took care of animals and often went fishing with his dog. He was also interested in martial arts and ice hockey. During his teenage years, he gained a reputation as a troublemaker — he got drunk, smoked, and got into fights.
While studying in secondary school, Ruslan trained as a tractor driver and machine operator. Immediately after graduation, he began working as a combine operator at the state farm, fulfilling his dream, since combine harvesters were his favorite type of machinery. Later, he worked as a tinsmith and a janitor.
In 1996, Ruslan married Roza. The couple have two adult children and a grandson. Roza works in the cleaning sector. She enjoys cooking homemade food, especially pancakes, dumplings, and pies. In the summer, the couple goes mushroom picking, camping and fishing. During these trips, Ruslan lights a charcoal-fired samovar.
Over the years the family lived in various places: the city of Miass, the village of Uyskoye in the Chelyabinsk Region, Kamensk-Uralsky in the Sverdlovsk Region and Ufa.
Roza was the first to begin studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. Later, Ruslan joined her, aiming to strengthen their family. In 2003, they were baptized together.
Relatives and friends are concerned not only about the unjust criminal prosecution of Ruslan and Roza, but also for their health. During these events, Ruslan's hypertension has worsened, and he frequently suffers from severe headaches. Roza's sister and her family have also been subjected to searches and interrogations.