Andrey Zhukov

Volunteer Officer - Lieutenant Colonel

Unit: Wagner PMC

Cargo ID: #715

English Name: Andrey Vladimirovich Zhukov

Russian Name: Жуков Андрей Владимирович

Date of Birth: January 25, 1976 (age: 46 years)

Previously Served: Chechnya

Wife:

English Name: Tatyana Zhukova

Russian Name: Татьяна Жукова

Living In: Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El, Russia.

Social Media: VK.com (archived)

Daughter:

English Name: Darya Zhukova

Russian Name: Дарья Жукова

Social Media: VK.com (archived)

Occupation: Student/Violinist at Chuvash State University

Lives In: Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, Russia

Letter from Tatyana to her late husband:

Hello Andryusha!
I haven't written to you for such a long time, I would really like you to read this letter, but it's impossible! Come on, I'll read it and you will hear me. Yes, I know that you can hear me. Very often I see you in a dream, how you come to the house, spend time with us, hug, say that you have to go and disappear. I talk to you every day and I can't believe you're gone. Again and again I return to that day.
It was summer, the month of July, a call, a short conversation and your message that you decided to go. Then, I asked why, but now I say, you could not have done otherwise.
- "Tanyusha, forgive me, dear, dear, do not worry, take care of yourself and the children! I love you! Everything will be fine! I will be back soon!"

So much courage and courage, how much faith in your words, how much joy from the fact that you, Andrei, can now do what you have always aspired to, be faithful to duty, show your character, be on the battlefield with comrades, not betray, be together until the end. It's the way your parents raised you. I thought how strong and brave you are. Did I then know that it was at this time that I said goodbye to you. Did you then know that you would not hear my voice again, and we would never see each other again.

And then what? Restless days, days and weeks of waiting, it was like death.
And this terrible day, the day when everything died, when breathing stopped. The call, the words, the alarm, the words again and... I have to tell you... that your husband is dead. Tears, screams, pain, fear, grief, all this I experienced at that moment. Your son, sitting next to him, did not understand what was happening, why I cannot answer him what happened. A small child, at that moment was stronger than me. He said: "Mom, I'm with you, I'm there." An hour later, the daughter was already with us. The kids saved me!

Remember how you talk about children? Daria is a gift from God, Ivan is the grace of God. Tanya, what wonderful children we have, they are the best. We are always together and support each other. They miss you very much. I pray to God to give us strength and health! Vanya has matured a lot, often speaks in your phrases, jokes like you, sometimes he calls me Tanya, in his movements and speech I see you. The daughter is full of strength and energy, in her is your desire to fight and win. Dasha is trying very hard, at the competition she performed a work in memory of you, very piercingly, the violin seems to be crying, touching to the core. The very first days were helped by our relatives and friends, friends, fellow soldiers, colleagues, they were all with me! Remember you as a good person with a kind soul. Glory to grandfathers in orders of grandchildren! As you were proud of your grandfathers, honored their memory, so I, your children, grandchildren will remember. Your favorite film "Officers" is impossible to watch without crying. We listen to our favorite songs and tears roll down our faces. Together with the children, we review the latest photos and videos from the family archive, the last New Year, the year that separated us. The first New Year without you, birthdays and all the holidays, it's very sad on such days it's very hard to pull yourself together.

The heart shrinks in the chest and it becomes so scary from what is happening around. Again, black evil is creeping around the world and it is the duty of our husbands, sons, brothers to stand up for the Motherland! Andryusha, you are my hero, you are our hero! Proud! Thank you for life! I will live, I will live for our children. I force myself to get up and go, learn to live with this pain. Eternal and bright memory of you forever in my heart. I love you, your Tanya!