A father of more than a dozen children from Russia's Tatarstan region who volunteered for service has been killed in the war in Ukraine. According to local Russian media, Avraam Melekh, 44, was buried in the city of Yelabuga on October 2. Melekh leaves behind 14 children, 11 of whom are under the age of 18. Previously known as Vladimir Golub, Melekh had divorced his first wife in February 2024 and was living with his new family and three young children in a rented apartment. His youngest child is 9 months old, while his oldest is 22. Tatarstan offers one of Russia’s highest financial incentives for contract soldiers, with a one-time payment of 2 million rubles ($21,000). At least 2,724 people from Tatarstan have been killed in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion of its western neighbor in 2022. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, click here.
Russian Father of 14 From Tatarstan Killed In Ukraine War
Graves of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine (file photo)