Grandfather Khilkevich restored communication under shelling, Casanova fought with crushed legs

The stars remembered their warring relatives

Victory Day for our stars is not only a traditional holiday where they perform in concerts. This Day is special for many of our artists also in its memory of loved ones who fought at the front. Well-known performers and actresses shared the stories of their relatives with MK.

Anna Khilkevich: grandfather threw a grenade out of a trench

“My grandfather, Andrei Andreevich Penzin, was a signalman, provided uninterrupted communications for command and control and reports on the situation at the front. More than once he had to restore the damaged line under enemy fire. Once, a grenade hit the trench where my grandfather and his brother-soldiers were, my grandfather grabbed it and managed to throw it in the other direction, thereby saving his own and the lives of his comrades.

I tell my daughters about their great-grandfather not only on May 9th. I think it is very important that children know our history. Now this is especially important, ”summed up the actress.

Sati Casanova: grandfather’s brothers were never found

“My grandfather, Kazanov Talostan Khomnotovich, fought in the Rostov region, near the Medveditsa River, which is located between Rostov and Voronezh. With severe bullet wounds, with crushed legs, he ended up in a field hospital, and his commander was brought there a day later. Two of his brothers fought together with grandfather, and he was very worried about them while he was in the medical unit. Despite his injuries, he crawled up to the commander while they were lying on a stretcher waiting for the doctors, and asked what he knew about his relatives. The commander said that just yesterday there was a battle where both of his brothers went, but did not return. Their bodies have not been found either, so for now they are considered missing …

It has been 78 years since the end of the war, but my grandfather’s brothers have not been found. Until the end of his life, grandfather suffered from wounds received in the war, but even more pain was caused by longing for his brothers, whom he lost and could not find, ”said the singer.

Aniri, singer and blogger: father’s father did not like to remember the war

“My grandfather, my father’s father, Ivan Stepanovich Zavorotchenko, went to the front in August 1941, at the age of 19. He went through the entire war, was a tanker, fought on the Ukrainian front, and at the same time he was one of those front-line soldiers who did not like to remember the war and tell his relatives about it. He wanted us to never know what it was. He spoke about the war only with his fellow soldiers, with whom they invariably met on May 9th. It was a real male friendship. When grandfather died (he was only fifty years old), his front-line friends, all as one, came to the funeral.

I, unfortunately, did not find him, but I always remember him. I think about him especially often lately, when, continuing the tradition of musical front-line brigades, I, as part of Starship Troopers, visit various units and sing for our soldiers. And my son, one might say, partly followed in the footsteps of his great-grandfather – he studies in the Cossack cadet corps.

In the Donbass and Zaporozhye region, we have performed several times over the past year. We not only perform, but also travel around the units, talk with commanders, make a list of necessary things, and then buy what we need.

Lately I’ve been often asked if I’m afraid to go there? You know… it’s not scary. I want to do everything in my power to at least somehow help our boys,” shared Aniri.