"NVC Pays Tribute to the Departed"
In Memoriam: Alexei Semenov, the Yakut Journalist
Born to Brandish the Mic
Alexei Semenov, hailing from Yakutia, had an "NVK" ringtone - his workplace, but he made a move to the Special Military Operation (SMO) and signed a contract ending in April this year. Tragically, he was taken on May 14th. He was laid to rest in his ancestral home of Upper Viluy, alongside his mother and elder aunt, affectionately nicknamed "Ebe" - "Grandmother".
Family Ties
That's where our family's haymaking lies, where he'd worked since childhood - as his cousin, Alexandra Semenova, reminisces. "The heat, the mosquitoes, the smoke from the fire, and he, from primary school, was the main firekeeper, responsible for the bucket of tea. And he never complained about anything - he was quiet, like his mother, but once he said, 'I'll grow up and become president. I'll issue a decree to make cows hibernate all winter.' And we all laughed back then!"
Every summer, Alexei would return with his wife, Natasha, who too was a local. Alexei's mother, Zinaida Nikolaevna, came from a substantial family, so half the village is our relatives: uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers...
He was incredibly close with his brothers, particularly the sons of Aunt Vale - Gosha, Anton, and Sanya Osepov. Gosha was also a part of the SMO, but Anton was listed as missing, and Sanya recently returned from leave. Another brother, Gavril Semenov, was mobilized in the first year. He's still there now.
The fact that Alexei chose to sign a contract with the SMO came as a shock to us.
Self-Determined Course
As his friend and colleague, Oleg Kolesov recalls, "He didn't tell anyone. He instructed his wife not to inform us about it. And not just us - only she knew about the contract from his entire family. If we had known, we would have rushed to persuade him to go as a war correspondent and nothing else. But he decided on his own." He always made decisions independently. I've known him since university days, and Alexei was always like an older brother to me. "He got married early, became a father - he became even more serious and responsible."
We studied together at the Department of Yakut Philology and Culture, which had a workshop led by the People's Artist of the Yakut Republic, Yuri Egorovitch Platov. He graduated from it. After obtaining his diploma, he opted to return to his native Upper Viluy Ulus, where he worked in an NVK branch - much to our delight.
Bred for Broadcasting
In life, Alex is quiet and unassuming, but in front of a camera, he transforms - an adaptable journalist born for television. He could win over the masses and commanded trust from all. One could truly call him an improvised journalist, requiring maturity, experience, and life wisdom. Take, for example, his weekly analytical show "Küntén kün" - a challenging genre. When he took it over, he revamped the format and approach to information gathering. He found the speakers himself, wrote the texts, and executed them in a way no one else could. The presentation was top-notch. They say there are no irreplaceable people, but Alex, sadly, cannot be replaced - not now, nor in the foreseeable future.
I also remember how, in our constant quest for stories and news, we'd hand him a seven-minute recording instead of the expected three minutes - he'd magically edit it whenever necessary. He'd never complain - only his back conveyed disapproval. A professional to the core, he expected the same dedication from others.
Despite his busy schedule, he never missed a single event, be it a cleanup, a competition, or a celebration. Even during the height of the pandemic, when we celebrated the 75th anniversary of Victory remotely, he connected from home and sang a heartfelt song that moved us all.
His Own Venture
Alex didn't join the SMO for the money. But it was undoubtedly a struggle for him there. His statements were sparse, but one memorable quote that hinted at his inner thoughts was, "People are drawn to the light, to the sun, but we try to bury ourselves deeper underground." I met him once, during a business trip, and brought a package from NVK - communication equipment. From NVK to "NVK"... Thanks to the company's support and General Director Oleg Olegovich Markov, we frequently sent him equipment - both for shooting and combat, including drones.
He never complained. After his initial injury, I talked to the doctors with his consent, and they reported that everything was fine, all fragments were removed. However, he never talked about his subsequent injury. We only became aware of it upon his return for recovery leave. By the way, Alexei forbade us from meeting him at the port: "Don't you dare arrange a meeting there, I'll be embarrassed." But we manage to meet him, of course. We are the ones who work on the "Künten kün" program. We call our group "base," and he was our leader.
Duck Soup on St. Nicholas Day
The entire "base" saw him off at the Labor Day celebration. We witnessed Alexei's hometown and understood where his diligence, reliability, and closeness to nature stemmed from. It's stunningly beautiful there! And excellent hunting grounds that he frequented with his cousins since childhood. So, even after befriending him, we hunted separately as our experience paled in comparison. He was, in essence, a superior hunter in that regard. He only joined us for ice fishing. But when I started duck hunting, Alexei, an accomplished hunter, guided me and shared his secrets.
On St. Nicholas Day, duck soup was the traditional dish in the newsroom. This year, when we received the devastating news of his passing, his family sent us a duck as a token of their grief.
Rest in peace, Alexei. You were a good man. A beloved and loving son, grandson, brother, husband, and father. A warrior and protector. May the earth be your pillow.
The "Yakutia" newspaper staff expresses its deepest condolences to all the relatives, friends, and colleagues of Alexei Semenov in the wake of his untimely demise. We will remember and be proud.
His self-determined decision to join the Special Military Operation, a move that shocked many, was rooted not in politics or war-and-conflicts, but in his personal choices. Despite this, his journalistic work was deeply connected to general news and politics, as evidenced by his transformative impact on his news program "Künten kün" and his coverage of various community events.
