Oleksandr Mykhaylovych Kanaf'yev

OLEKSANDR MYKHAYLOVYCH KANAF'YEV (b. May 26, 1953, in the village of Frunzenskoye, Alushta Raion, Crimea – d. March 8, 1995, in Simferopol).
Physical education specialist. Attempted to flee abroad. A victim of punitive psychiatry. An activist in the human rights movement in Crimea.
In 1970, he graduated from high school. On August 17, 1970, on the recommendation of Minister of Defense A. Grechko, he volunteered for the Airborne Troops. He served in the Tula VDV Division 55599, military unit 33842. In the army, he was a member of the VDV sports team and performed for foreign guests. He was discharged on November 11, 1972.
In 1972, he entered the preparatory department of the Faculty of Physical Education at Simferopol University. In 1977, he graduated from the university. He was invited to postgraduate studies. He worked as a therapeutic exercise instructor at the Ministry of Defense sanatorium “Krym” in the village of Frunzenskoye.
Disillusioned with Soviet reality, he decided to flee to Turkey. On May 13, 1978, he attempted to cross the Black Sea in an inflatable boat. He was at sea for 29 hours, but a strong storm washed the fugitive back to shore. He was arrested by border guards. On May 17, he was committed to the Crimean Regional Psychiatric Hospital (“Stroganovka”). He was released on June 30. On July 15, 1978, he moved to Odesa and got a job as a foundry worker at a factory, but the KGB did not leave him in peace, organizing surveillance and provocations.
On August 13, 1978, Kanaf'yev crossed the border into Romania, reached Bucharest in a few days, went to a synagogue, as he was Jewish, and together with the rabbi went to the Israeli embassy, but at the entrance to the embassy, he was arrested by the Securitate (Department of State Security of Romania). On August 17, he was handed over to the USSR.
On August 19, 1978, in handcuffs, Kanaf'yev escaped from the border detachment and reached Azerbaijan. On October 1, 1978, he was arrested by border guards on Cape Kurkos near Lankaran while attempting to escape to Iran in an inflatable boat. On February 22, 1979, he was committed to the Dnipropetrovsk Special Psychiatric Hospital. On January 7, 1982, he was transferred to the Simferopol general-type psychiatric hospital.
On July 23, 1982, Kanaf'yev escaped from the psychiatric hospital with the intention of reaching the Romanian border, but was arrested the same day in Krasnoperekopsk (removed from the Simferopol–Odesa train). On August 25, 1982, he was again committed to the Dnipropetrovsk SPH. On October 25, 1984, he was transferred to the Simferopol general-type PH. He was released in October 1985.
On May 14, 1986, Kanaf'yev was baptized into the Orthodox faith.
On July 17, 1986, he again crossed the Romanian border, intending to get to France. When crossing the border, he left a portrait of the famous Soviet border guard Karatsupa on the border fence wire with the inscription: “To the Soviet border guards, with best wishes for success in their difficult and honorable service. Respectfully, Oleksandr Kanaf'yev.” He walked 20 km into Romanian territory and was captured by the Securitate. On August 18, he was extradited to the USSR. He was severely beaten in the border detachment. In the Odesa pre-trial detention center, he attempted suicide.
On October 5, 1986, he was again committed to the Dnipropetrovsk SPH. The torturers in white coats told him he would be held for life. But perestroika began. On June 14, 1988, Kanaf'yev was transferred to the Simferopol PH, and on December 21, he was released.
He abandoned the idea of emigration and decided to fight the regime in his home country. He was an activist in the organizations “Good Will” and “People’s Front of Crimea.”
In Simferopol, on August 19, 1991, Kanaf'yev went out alone to demonstrate against the GKChP. He was arrested and severely beaten in the Central District Department of Internal Affairs of Simferopol. He was released on August 22, 1991.
Subsequently, Kanaf'yev was the leader of the public organization “Republican Movement of Crimea.” He fell ill with cancer. He died in Simferopol on March 8, 1995, at the age of not quite 42. Thousands of people attended his funeral service and burial; he was seen off on his final journey as a national hero.
Oleg Sofianyk. January 5, 2012.