Mikhail Zinoviev

Mikhail Sviatoslavich Zinoviev was a peasant farmer and father to Zoya and Elena Zinovieva.

During the Great Patriotic War, Mikahil was discharged from the Red Army after suffering from frostbite. His life was saved by Anatoly Brodsky, who amputated several of his toes, and with whom he started a lasting friendship. After the war, he settled on a kolkhoz in Kimov, later marrying and having two daughters.

On 14 February 1953, Mikhail caught Anatoly, now a fugitive, sleeping in his barn, intending to leave the next day for the Finnish border. Despite his wife's protests, Mikhail agreed to shelter his old comrade. The following day, after Anatoly departed, the Zinoviev home was besieged by MGB agents under the command of Leo Demidov. Leo left to pursue Anatoly, while the Zinovievs were left under the supervision of his deputy Vasili Nikitin. In Leo's absence, Vasili had Mikhail brutally beaten in front of his family and subsequently shot him and his wife before Leo could intervene.