An event dedicated to the Day of Hero of the Fatherland and to commemoration of 13-year-old Andrei Kasimov awarded posthumously with medal “For Rescuing the Dying” by an order of the RF President was held today in Udmurtia at the initiative of the regional investigative authority.
The tragedy happened on 27 October 2014, when the investigative office got a report that 13-year-old Andrei and 11-year-old Alexandra Kasimov had gone missing in the settlement of Balezino. Best investigative forces were dispatched to search of them and a day later dead bodies of the two children with traces of violent death were found in a nearby forest. It took the investigators 5 days to identify and hold the suspect – ex-con Konstantin Russkikh. The investigators found out that Andrei KIasimov as far as he could, had fought the burly man back and died trying to protect his sister from a rapist. Thanks to the evidence collected by the Udmurtia Office of the Investigative Commmitee, Russkikh was sentence to life in prison.
Officers of the Investigative Committee have first-hand knowledge about the grief over losing the loved ones and colleagues killed in the line of duty, the duty of honor and conscience the price of which are often their lives, and they honor their memory.
At the order of Alexander Bastrykin, Igor Komissarov, senior aide to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee arrived in Udmurtia today to attend commemorative events and together with officers of the regional investigative authority laid flowers to the Internal Flame memorial in Victory Public Garden in the town of Izhevsk. Following another order of Mr. Bastrykin, at a state reception in the residence of the Head of Udmurtia, he awarded the mother of the killed children with keys to a new flat provided to her by the state. The ones in attendance paid respect to the Hero and noted that such events are of especial important for the younger generation who should be raised following proper models.
After that, officers of the regional investigative authority summed up the annual contest of children’s art dedicated to the memory of Andrei Kasimov and which saw more than 300 works this year. The winners got prizes and diplomas. There is a special corner in the investigative office devoted to commemorate the boy.
The same day there was an annual martial arts competition which was also dedicated to the boy’s memory. More than 250 people in 10 teams from Udmurtia and enamoring regions took part. Cadets of the Andrei Kasimov class created on the order of Alexander Bastrykin at school the young hero had gone to, were also present.
Two years ago, Andrei Kasimov proved that heroism and courage know no age. The young hero’s deed became a living picture of good breeding, high moral and patriotic qualities, as everyone knows that the Motherland starts at the family. We want to believe that the decision of the 13-year-old boy to give his life to rescue the person he loved will be a model to follow for the younger generation and many caring people, including cadets of the Investigative Committee’s cadet schools and officers. His deed touched a lot of hearts and that means that Andrei Kasimov will always stay in our memory.
Acting Head of Media Relations S.L. Petrenko
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