Biography
On February 15, 2019, one of the most massive and inhuman operations against believers took place in Surgut and several other cities of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Seven people were tortured, three were sent to a pre-trial detention center (two of them spent 56 days behind bars), and the total number of defendants in criminal cases exceeded 20. One of them is Leonid Rysikov. What do we know about him?
Leonid was born in 1950 in the village of Sredniye Mangareki (Krasnoyarsk Territory). He grew up in a large family. He has three brothers and four sisters, and one brother died when he was a child. His mother was a milkmaid, his father was a grain grower and blacksmith. As a child, he was fond of athletics.
Leonid graduated from the Krasnoyarsk vocational school with a degree in electrician. He worked as an electrician and mechanic. Due to the difficult economic situation, he was forced to move to work in Surgut with his sister. He has been retired since 2005. He likes to fish, walk in the woods and play chess.
Leonid met his future wife Evgenia on a business trip to an oil and gas field. They got married in 1982. Evgenia is a very cheerful person, loves songs and dances. The couple raised two sons, already have granddaughters.
In the early 1990s, Evgenia became acquainted with Bible teachings, determined to act and live in harmony with what she learned. A few years later, Leonid joined her. Both of them were convinced by the truthfulness and consistency of the Bible, as well as God's assurances of a wonderful future.
Relatives have a negative attitude towards the criminal prosecution of Leonid. Almost every day they call, support his family and really hope that the authorities will come to their senses and finally stop the persecution for their faith.