"Both sons were served with a summons at once." Stories of families from Tatarstan who lost several men in the war in Ukraine.

      Summons and contracts for two, shared trenches and funerals with a difference of several months, or even on the same day — the death of brothers in the war with Ukraine is becoming common for Tatarstan. Families from Almetyevsk, Aznakayevo, and the Tukayev district mourn two at once. Some of them went as volunteers, some were mobilized, but the outcome was the same. "Idel.Realii" tells the stories of four families from the republic, whose surnames now appear repeatedly in obituaries. Two sons were called up for mobilization. In April 2023, the media in Tatarstan reported on the Shamuakayev family from the village of Shalnebash in the Tukayev district, which lost two men in the war. Artyom Shamuakayev was 27 years old, Stanislav Shamuakayev was 34 years old, both were mobilized in 2022. In November 2022, their mother — Glafira Shamuakayev — detailed her sons' stories in an interview with the local newspaper "Svetly Put." According to her, the elder — Stanislav — after his compulsory service in Totsk, remained to serve under contract for two years; then he worked at a local poultry farm, later as a refrigeration equipment specialist in a retail chain. In recent years, he worked at a metal structures plant. — Artyom is seven years younger than his brother, — Glafira Shamuakayev said about her younger son. — He is an athlete, and numerous certificates and medals for winning basketball competitions still hang above his bed. Right after school, he was called up to the army. He served under Yoshkar-Ola in the missile troops. According to the woman, after the army, Artyom Shamuakayev went to work at a roofing manufacturing plant. In 2022, Glafira Shamuakayev recalled, both sons received summonses. — They brought summonses to both sons at the same time. Of course, I burst into tears first. How else, I am a mother! Quickly realizing that I needed to prepare my boys for service, I calmed down. I thought that if Valera (the woman’s husband, who died in 2005 — "Idel.Realii") were alive, he would scold me for everything. Stas and Artyom are not from a timid dozen, they will fulfill their duty to the Motherland and return. Of course! We will still have weddings, we will take care of grandchildren, — Glafira Shamuakayev recounted in 2022.

      Glafira Shamuakayev with her sons at the assembly point in Kazan, October 2022

      At the end of October 2022, relatives of the mobilized, including Shamuakayev, organized a trip to Kazan to see their loved ones — the servicemen were at the assembly point there. — Two sons were called up for partial mobilization. I find it hard to bear the separation from them, as I have no one else besides them, and no grandchildren either. I buried my husband, and it’s hard alone. Artyom is 26 years old, Stanislav is 32. I communicate with them by phone every day, but still, my heart is not at ease, — the woman told the local newspaper. Four months later, Stanislav and Artyom Shamuakayev died in the war. The media reported that they died on the same day — February 23, 2023. However, according to the registry of inheritance cases, Stanislav's date of death is March 5, 2023, and Artyom's is March 11.

      The funerals of brothers Stanislav and Artyom Shamuakayev

      In the spring of 2024, another publication about Glafira Shamuakayev appeared in the republican agency "Tatar-Inform." The note stated that in the Tukayev district of the republic, they planted a "Garden of Memory" dedicated to those who died in the war in Ukraine. "Glafira Shamuakayev is planting apple trees on the alley of glory in memory of her children. In the zone of the special military operation, Russian authorities are required to refer to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a special military operation. Both sons died — Artyom and Stanislav. According to their mother, the boys were always patriots of their Motherland, as their great-grandfather was a participant in the Great Patriotic War. Therefore, as soon as they received summonses, the brothers decided to serve together to support each other," the publication stated.

      Glafira Shamuakayev

      In September 2025, elections for the head of the republic were held in Tatarstan. On that day, the district newspaper "Svetly Put" published a news article with a photo of Glafira Shamuakayev at the polling station under the headline "Mother of Heroes Cast Her Vote."

      Glafira Shamuakayev

      On the website of the newspaper "Svetly Put," there is a large banner: "Contract service, call! We will solve all your problems with debts and documents." The amount is also indicated — up to 7.5 million rubles a year, 2.9 million — immediately. Meshchanovs from Almetyevsk

      Sergey Meshchanov

      On March 8 of this year, the Telegram channel "Killed from Tatarstan" published an obituary for Sergey Meshchanov. He was 40 years old, from Almetyevsk, and died on March 6, 2026. The first comment under the obituary is a link to another post with the name of his brother: 41-year-old (at the time of death) Alexey Meshchanov, who died in May 2024. — To bury two sons is an irreparable loss. May God grant patience to relatives and friends. It’s very sad for the guys. This cursed war has no end, and how many more lives will it take, — wrote user Alsu under the obituary.

      Alexey Meshchanov

      — The main thing is that parents honestly admit to themselves: what was he killed for? — commented another user. Not much is known about the men. Alexey Meshchanov — the elder brother — served in the 74th brigade in the assault company. In the summer of 2024, his relatives searched for him on social media. The post stated that he had not been in contact since May 9, 2024, and was "somewhere near Avdiivka." "Idel.Realii" keeps its own count of military and volunteer casualties from the Volga regions. This list includes only those whose deaths have been recognized in one way or another by the Russian side, relatives of the deceased, or educational or other public institutions. The actual numbers may be significantly higher. Odinayevs from Aznakayevo district In early February 2026, it became known that 38-year-old Ravshan Odinayev from the village of Malbagush in the Aznakayevo district died in the war in Ukraine. Judging by the comments under the obituary, before going to war, he worked as a welder at "Aznakayevo Oil." His body had not yet been brought home by early March, his sister wrote in the Telegram channel "Killed from Tatarstan." Odinayev died in October 2025. Two and a half years earlier, his 34-year-old brother — Rishat Odinayev — died in the war in Ukraine. Judging by the wreaths at his funeral, he was a mercenary for the Wagner Group. The man had been convicted in 2012 under part 2 of Article 264 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Violation of traffic rules and operation of vehicles, resulting in unintentional serious harm to health"). However, details of the case are unknown, and the verdict has not been published in the court database. Additionally, there is no information on how exactly Odinayev ended up in the war. Yelfimovs from Zelenodolsk

      Vladislav Yelfimov

      — Oh, how heavy is the double loss! Sincere condolences to the family! To be a warrior, to live forever! They are there nearby on the clouds. Glory to the Heroes! — wrote user "Olga Kazanova" under the obituary for Vladislav Yelfimov in November 2025. The 35-year-old man died in the war in Ukraine back in April 2025, but news of his death became public only six months later. It was then noted under the obituary that in February 2024, his younger brother — Danil Yelfimov, aged 28, died in the war. There are also messages from relatives of the men in the comments.

      Danil Yelfimov

      — But they didn’t ask me whether to go or not. They wanted to participate in the military operation themselves. They served together in the missile troops for two years and decided to come here together and left. <…> It’s a pity, they were young, they didn’t live their lives. Do you think I sent them? — wrote user "Razina." There are four sons in the Yelfimov family. Zemfira Yelfimova is the mother of the deceased men. She runs her page on "VKontakte" under this name. Back in May 2024, the woman published a poem — likely of her own composition — in Tatar.

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