Frontline Chronicle as a Source of Historical Truth: Letters from Red Army soldier Mikhail Shevchenko were transferred to the Zonal State Archives in Molodechno

The letters from Red Army soldier Mikhail Shevchenko were transferred to the Zonal State Archives in MolodechNo. Journalist Alesya Ushakova kept them for several years. The soldier’s relatives gave her the war correspondence.

Mikhail Grigorievich Shevchenko was born on October 13, 1921. The transferred correspondence states: the Red Army soldier «died in battle for the socialist homeland, demonstrating loyalty to the oath, heroism and courage». He was only 20 years old. When his relatives received the last news from the front, their Misha was already dead.

Frontline letters are unique sources that allow us to look at the war through the prism of personal stories. They capture the emotions, thoughts and everyday details of soldiers’ lives that cannot always be found in official documents or history books. Mikhail Shevchenko’s letters to his family from Molodechno show how a young man who found himself in the epicenter of terrible events continued to care for his loved ones, dreamed of Victory and believed in the best. Such documents help preserve the memory of the feat of each soldier whose life was given for the liberation of the Motherland.

Director of the archive I.Z.Pudakevich noted: «The transfer of the front-line letters of the young Red Army soldier Mikhail Grigorievich Shevchenko to the Zonal State Archive in Molodechno is an important step in preserving historical memory and truth. These are not just personal documents, but also valuable historical evidence reflecting the spirit of the times, experiences, hopes and aspirations of Soviet soldiers. We promise to ensure professional storage of the letters so that they can become available to researchers, historians and anyone interested in the history of the Great Patriotic War». The feat of Soviet soldiers like Mikhail Shevchenko cannot be overestimated. Every letter, every photograph, every document is a reminder of the price at which Victory was achieved. By preserving these testimonies, we pay tribute to those who gave their lives for peace and freedom.

1. Alesya Ushakova with letters from the front.

2. Letters from the front.

3. Letters from the front.