This multi-storey residential building, known as a "candlestick" building, can be seen from almost any point in the Rostov microdistrict of Voenved. Designed in a modern architectural style and painted in light colors, it resembles a proud brigantine raising its snow-white sails. A lovingly maintained flower bed is located in front of the building, and a busy concierge is stationed at the entrance, occasionally scolding mischievous children. Overall, it is a respectable and cozy building. But this is only the impression of the uninitiated. Residents of the military town know that many of the apartments in this beautiful building have been filled with quiet sorrow for a long time. They are home to the families of military personnel who died in the North Caucasus. ... Zhanna Vorsina, the widow of Major Valery Vorsina, who was killed in Grozny in January 1995, maintains her dignity. She immediately agreed to meet with journalists. She is a military officer in one of the units of the Rostov garrison and works as a signalman. She has a ten-year-old daughter named Anna. "There are about ten families like ours in the house," says Zhanna. "From the very beginning, we've been living in a kind of trusting commune. We've probably been united by a common problem. We often gather at someone's place, having tea and sharing our news. They know everything about each other: how their children behave in kindergarten or at school, who has a leaky faucet in their kitchen, and how much the house plumber charges for repairs... I've heard from older people that something similar happened in human relationships in the early post-war years. The only difference was that the entire country was a close-knit community back then. Of course, each of these people has their own life: they need to work and raise their children, and they need to build and rebuild their relationships with the outside world, which is not always friendly or humane. But they also have a lot in common. To a certain e ... Read more