About the same lesson was held on 29 November 1983 at Ivanovichev secondary school number 2. Yuri Nikolaevich Lelyukov told students about a hand grenade and the principle of its operation. Picking up one of the 3 dummies, he showed how to bring the grenade into a fighting position and pulled out a safety pin. Releasing the lever, he heard a characteristic click and saw a small smoke.
The training grant received at the local military registration and enlistment office turned out to be combat. Yuri Nikolaevich had less than 4 seconds left… ⠀
The middle of the day is 13:30, children are still walking outside the window in the courtyard, which means there is no way to get rid of the danger. Yuri Lelyukov reacted with lightning speed: he threw himself into a corner and pressed a grenade to himself. There was an explosion that claimed the life of a real hero, but 26 children who were in the class then remained alive. They received only minor injuries. ⠀
Without a father, 8-year-old Olesya, one-year-old Yura, remained, and his wife Larisa became a widow. ⠀
The courageous teacher then saved not only these children. After this incident, school inspections began equipment in the classes of initial combat training, which helped to find a few more explosive items. They also say that from that moment on, the cases of training grenades began to be drilled through. ⠀
Of course, Yuri Lelyukov was the victim of someone’s negligence. The then leaders did everything possible not to make this event public. But after 2 years, thanks to the publication of an article (in one of the newspapers) entitled «Four Seconds Long in Life» the whole country learned about the heroic deed. After the prosecution, the perpetrators were punished. ⠀
Yuri Nikolaevich was posthumously awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor, and the local council awarded him the title of honorary citizen of the village.
