Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense
Every third Sunday in October Father’s Day is celebrated in Russia. On the eve of October 20, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Anna Tsivileva took part in the award ceremony for parents of special operations heroes. He presented a certificate from Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov to the parents of Lieutenant Igor Podustov.
She told of her first meeting with the taciturn officer: “We met in Kaluga when our hero was there in rehabilitation. We sat down and discussed certain problems with military personnel. Among them there was one who did not ask for anything. At the end of the meeting, I approached him and asked what I could do for you, and he, looking down, said, “You know, it would be a great gift for me if the Minister of Defense would sign a letter to my parents to a worthy education for your child.” Of course, Andrei Removich immediately signed and conveys words of gratitude to you for your service and to your parents for the upbringing worthy of a hero.”
The Deputy Minister also presented Lieutenant Podustov with a commander’s watch and thanked him for his exemplary performance of military duty.
In total, 20 fathers of Heroes of Russia from different regions of the country received the “Soldier’s Father” award. Among the beneficiaries are families from Chuvashia, Magadan, Tyva, the Altai Territory, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Nizhny Novgorod region and other regions.
