Biography
On October 2, 2019, a criminal case was opened in Krasnoyarsk against 61-year-old Sergey Tolstonozhenko. He is accused of extremist activity because of a conversation at a bus stop about believing in God. What is known about this supposedly dangerous criminal?
Sergey was born in 1957 in Krasnoyarsk. The father is no longer alive, the mother is retired. He has a younger brother. As a child, he was fond of reading books and sports. He attended sections of classical wrestling, sambo, was fond of alpine skiing. He dreamed of becoming a pilot, read books about them and admired their exploits, but due to poor eyesight, he never managed to realize his dream.
After school, he graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Institute of Technology, where he received a degree in engineering in the field of chemical and technological processes. After serving in the army, he got a job at the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant as an apprentice turner. Over time, he received the fifth category of this profession. Health problems imposed restrictions on sports, but Sergey's love for reading did not fade.
He met his future wife Nina at the institute, where they studied in the same group. They got married in 1982, when both were in their fourth year. Nina is now retired. The couple have an adult son, Dmitry, who works as an engineer for the repair and maintenance of office equipment.
Sergey became interested in the teachings of the Bible when he saw how they had a beneficial effect on his wife. Later, he was impressed by the simplicity and accuracy of the answers that this book gives on important life issues. Sergey noted that thanks to the Bible, his marriage was strengthened, his health improved, and his reputation changed for the better in the eyes of people who previously knew him not from the best side.
The criminal prosecution knocked the family out of their usual life routine. A search of the apartment with the seizure of personal belongings turned out to be a great stress. Against this background, diseases of the stomach, lungs and other health problems worsened. Sergey, who has always liked to show hospitality, feels depressed due to the lack of communication with friends. In addition, the investigator who conducted the search threatened him with dismissal from his job.
All Sergey's relatives, including people with a variety of beliefs, are extremely outraged by the arbitrariness of the authorities in relation to believers. They sincerely sympathize with Sergey, try to support and encourage in difficult times.