76‑year-old trades wedding bliss for Donbas battlefield
A 76-year-old man from Russia decided to walk down the aisle after an 18-year relationship with his partner. However, it turned out that love for his partner was not the biggest priority in his life. Instead of choosing a peaceful and contented old age beside his beloved, the pensioner chose to go to war.
Russians often surprise with their love and loyalty to their homeland, even though for many it offers only hardship or devastation. The latter scenario is realised through the mass conscription of individuals to the front. Apparently, Russia is running low on soldiers, as they have now recruited a certain 76-year-old into their ranks.
According to the mk.ru portal, residents of the village Amazar Viktor Vazhenin and Alena Jakimova, who have lived together for 18 years, decided to get married. This occurred just before the previously planned dispatch of the 76-year-old to Donbas.
A Russian pensioner goes to war as a volunteer
The ceremony took place at a government office. Photos from the wedding circulated online. It is perplexing that a 76-year-old from Zabaykalsky Krai decided to join the military and go to the front. The man went to the town of Chita, where a military unit is located. Importantly, in this case, we are dealing with a volunteer, rather than a Russian citizen forced into conscription.
It seems that Mr. Viktor is not fully aware of what is happening on the front lines. The number of Russians who have lost their lives in Ukraine most likely exceeds well over 200,000. No wonder the Kremlin is seeking support from North Korea, since even Russia, with its vast manpower, is lacking soldiers. It is surprising that the 76-year-old chose the front in Donbas over a peaceful life with his beloved.
However, Russians take pride in themselves, as local authorities shared information about the marriage, certainly for propaganda purposes. Some cynics claim that the 76-year-old purposely went to war after the wedding so that in the event of his death, his wife would receive substantial compensation granted to the relatives of the fallen.
