Biography
Mikhail Burkov, a Jehovah's Witness from Tynda, accused of extremist activity in 2019, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony in 2024.
Mikhail was born in September 1983 in the village of Araslanovo, Chelyabinsk Region, into a large family. He has four brothers and two sisters. As a child, he was fond of growing indoor plants, and during his school years, he took up the repair of household electrical appliances and mechanical watches. Later he graduated from the railway technical school. Mikhail's family—parents and elder brothers—was not the most prosperous, so at the first opportunity, Burkov left home for Tynda.
Before his arrest, Mikhail worked as a carpenter in the city administration. In his free time, he willingly helped his friends: he fixed refrigerators and washing machines.
In the early 2000s, Mikhail got acquainted with the Bible. The young man was amazed at the accuracy of the description of the physical laws and information about the earth contained in it, even though this book is not a scientific work. At the age of 23, he made the decision to embark on the Christian path.
Later, when they began to summon the believer for interrogations, his colleagues were very surprised: "This is a mistake, what kind of extremist are you!" In his final statement, Mikhail Burkov emphasized: "I am being judged for learning to show positive qualities: kindness, peacefulness, compassion, patience, respect for the feelings of other people."