A small Russian town buries its dead young neighbor in Ukraine

Nikita Avrov was 20 years old and had a baby face when he was killed in Ukraine. At the funeral of this tanker, which took place on Monday, there was no doubt: he died for a good cause, his homeland, Russia.

His coffin, surrounded by flowers, was briefly exposed in front of the family’s two-story house in the town of Luga, 150 kilometers from St. Petersburg, under the banner of his mechanized infantry division.

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About sixty people came there to pay tribute and leave flowers. Later, five soldiers with his officer took away the coffin of this young man, who lived fewer years than Vladimir Putin has been in power.

In this small town of 30,000 inhabitants there is no sign of opposition to the conflict that began on February 24, and which pits Russian troops against the fierce resistance of Ukrainian soldiers, presented by Moscow as “neo-Nazis”.

Instead, there are cars that proudly display the “Z”, the letter that many Russian military vehicles carry and that became a symbol of support for the offensive.

According to local authorities, Avrov he was in charge of an assault tank. He died at the end of March in Izium, a small Russian-held city in eastern Ukraine, halfway between Kharkov and Sloviansk.

Mother (C) and mourners gather around the coffin of 20-year-old Russian military officer Nikita Avrov during his funeral at a church in Luga, some 150km south of St Petersburg. (AFP Agency/)

“Forces of Evil”

In the tribute, officials, military or religious leaders highlight in their words the patriotic sacrifice of the young man Avrovdecorated by the medal to the valor to posthumous title.

“Executing his special mission, this boy, Nikita Avrov, our neighbor, died fighting neo-Nazis and nationalists in Ukraine. He died for us!”proudly launches a municipal official, Alexei Golubev.

“As soon as Russia shows weakness, the impure beings try to bring us to our knees (…) But they will not succeed!” says Colonel Sergei Nikitin, following the official discourse that considers that the Western powers took advantage of the fall of the Soviet Union to weaken the country, especially through Ukraine.

And earlier, during the ceremony in the church, the Orthodox priest insisted on the same message.

“Nikita he was not afraid of the forces of evil, he defended us so that our skies remain in peace”Father Nikolai declared before more than 150 people.

Two old classmates from AvrovSergei and Anton (who did not give their last names) followed the funeral.

“Nikita He was a soldier, he died in combat. It’s a heroic act”, comments Sergei admiringly.

“We must defend our country, even if the best die”Anton adds.

A rally was also organized in his honor with an eternal flame, next to the monument that remembers the soldiers killed during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and during World War II.

Russian soldiers carry wreaths and a photo of Russian serviceman Nikita Avrov, 20, during his funeral in Luga, some 150 kilometers south of Saint Petersburg. (AFP Agency/)

“Unjustifiable”

The exact number of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine is not known, but the Kremlin spokesman acknowledged last week “significant losses”. The last balance, from March 25, put it at 1,351 deaths.

“It hurts a lot and it’s scary when they die so young”tells AFP Anna Koroleva, a 59-year-old neighbor who carries two carnations in her hand.

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Svetlana, 48, also does not want to give her last name. “What the mother has to feel is terrible. What a disgrace, what a horror for mothers who lose their children. Nothing can justify something like that.”has a tone of incomprehension towards the conflict.

Today, in Russia, it is prohibited to denounce the Kremlin operation due to the risk of being accused of denigrating the army, a crime that can carry prison sentences.

Source: Elcomercio