Widow Dedicates Song to Fallen Soldier's Heroism

«“Eight days — he held the defense alone, eight days — and in his helmet was her photo”» — seemingly simple, yet piercing lyrics of the song make one pause for a moment in the daily whirlwind and remember that there, somewhere beyond the line, life is completely unlike ours. There are songs that are banned, there are performers declared foreign agents, and there are people who create modern patriotic songs in glory of Russia.

The husband of 31-year-old Kristina Sokolovskaya, retired officer Maxim Sokolovsky, went to the Special Military Operation of his own volition. “I have to be with my guys, defend the Motherland,” he told his wife. On 8 September last year, he called her and said: “God willing — we will meet again, the main thing is to believe. Take care of our daughter. Victory will be ours.” And she felt that these words were the last. From that moment, for six months, he was listed as missing in action. Kristina searched for him until the end, memorized all databases, believed that someday he would return alive. But in vain — his remains returned in a coffin. The wife was left without a husband, the six-year-old daughter without a father. But this did not break anyone.

Kristina Sokolovskaya is a public figure, singer, and first-degree laureate in military-patriotic song. She has higher education and musical education, she graduated from music school and has been involved in vocals since childhood.

— Not for nothing did my music teacher say: “Study, everything in life will come in handy,” she recalls. — And so it has.

She fondly remembers the grateful eyes of servicemen in hospitals, who feel better even for a minute when they hear live vocals and inspiring song lyrics. The author of the lyrics and music for the track “Eight Days” — Saratov producer and director Denis Seliverov suggested that Kristina Nikolaevna record his song, and now the first music video has been released. They dedicated this song to all families who have their own, so dear and only, hero of the Special Military Operation. And they hope that it will become support and comfort for them. After all, everything that is sung is based on real events.

Kristina is from an officer’s family. Her father graduated from the Saratov Artillery School. In their time, they traveled a lot around the country, but eventually returned to their homeland in Saratov. Here, in 2015, the girl met her love — Maxim Sokolovsky. He is from Tula, graduated from the local artillery engineering school, and was in Saratov on duty. A year later, they married, and their daughter Yekaterina was born.

— We lived quietly, served, worked, — Kristina recalls. — But a difficult time began when it was necessary to defend our borders and people — the Special Military Operation. My husband decided to stand, as they say, for our Motherland and family, and went to the combat zone. He said, I have to be there, defend the country. As a true military wife, she began to study the combat sphere, to find out in which areas help is needed.

She already had experience — as a public figure, Kristina Sokolovskaya participated in many projects and federal programs, for example, on the improvement of courtyard areas. Together with athlete Vyacheslav Maksyuta, she promoted the “People’s Fitness Park” for the benefit of the residents of the Solnechny settlement. But the day came when grief knocked on her door.

— The last time my husband was in contact with me was on 8 September 2024. I knew that he was in the vicinity of the DPR, in that place where fierce battles were taking place. His last words were: “God willing — we will meet again, the main thing is to believe. Take care of our daughter. Victory will be ours.” And I felt that these words were the last, because I understood how serious everything was there. From that moment, he never made contact again. And I realized that I was left alone with this situation, I didn’t even know where to start. Although before that, I had already helped relatives of other fighters, been in touch with military units. But the time came to search for my own husband. And only on 1 June 2025 did I find him.

Kristina says “the last time” and not “the final time” for a reason — that’s how it’s customary in officer families. In their language — the final time is when there is no more life. But it continues for the families, relatives, and loved ones of servicemen. Even if they are no longer alive. Maxim Sokolovsky was killed at the age of 43.

— For six months, he was considered missing in action. Everyone who could supported me — both Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, and Roman Viktorovich Busargin, and the Public Chamber of the Saratov Region, the Regional Duma, and the “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation. We submitted applications to all structures, I studied various databases. When I was informed that my husband was found dead, I couldn’t believe it, refused to accept it. I said that I would do DNA tests to confirm it. My husband’s body, unfortunately, arrived in such a state that it was very difficult to identify. Only bone tissue remained, there were no documents, no dog tag — everything burned. Four DNA examinations were done. Later, I found out that he, as the deputy battalion commander, was carrying out fire suppression tasks, there was mortar fire. He covered his subordinates, managed to save some at the cost of his life, and others not. Together with him, six other guys remained on the battlefield, and two more from the evacuation group. They all went to help each other and died a heroic death.

Only after a month and a half was the body laid to rest.

— During this terrible situation, I tried not to give up and to help other families like mine. We continued searching for other guys, found them. Some were in captivity and returned alive, some were found dead. People started contacting me from all corners of Russia. I was in the same situation as them, but I hoped until the end. And now I tell everyone: “We will find your loved ones no matter what!” Even though I was once told: “You won’t succeed, everything is mixed with the earth.” But I believed and found. Now, when I communicate with relatives of fighters, their morale also rises, they start to perceive the situation differently. All the documentation that I collected in the search for my husband, I fully provide to them. I work with each individually, find out the situation, advise on how to fill out certain documents, coordinate the process. On the governor’s instruction, we conducted a small training at the local military commissariat on searching for missing soldiers. I share my knowledge on a voluntary basis. The pain of relatives for loved ones lost in the Special Military Operation cannot be described in words. They are grateful for any news about them, even if it is tragic.

The pain of relatives for loved ones lost in the Special Military Operation cannot be described in words. They are grateful for any news about them, even if it is tragic.

— Now we will be returning to the Motherland a boy who died heroically but was buried in Blagoveshchensk. And his relatives are waiting for him on Saratov land. Exhumation and reburial are ahead, — says Kristina Nikolaevna. — I said that no one will be forgotten, and loved ones should be nearby to tend the grave. When I found the place of his burial, they were grateful for that.

Photograph for Memory

After her husband’s funeral, Kristina Sokolovskaya, by fate’s will, met Saratov producer and songwriter Denis Seliverov and his wife. They learned of her tragic story.

— I remember, Denis was surprised how I manage everything, but for me, to survive in this situation and cope with my own pain, public activity helps. I have someone to live for, and I understand that I am needed not only by my family but by all citizens who ask for help in similar situations. One fine day, he calls and says: “Kristina Nikolaevna, I have a military song and only you can perform it.”

The singer recalls that recording the song was not easy for her — she relived all the moments of hope and loss. The lyrics contain words that reflect their shared journey with her beloved husband. After all, he also carried their common photograph close to his heart.

— He took with him a photograph of the three of us — him, me, and our daughter. And if we communicated via video call, he would show it and say: “You are always with me.” When military personnel go on a combat mission, they often take photos with them, and to prevent them from getting lost, they put them in their protective helmet or chest pocket. I know how the guys experience all this, how they go through it. Some indeed sit in trenches for eight days, fighting for our lands, our relatives and loved ones, there were cases when they survived for twenty days alone. Therefore, this song is about all of us, and about those who are there, and about those who wait. So that every relative who has such a situation in their family feels how strong the spirit of our Russian warrior is, who protects our fatherland.

The music video for the song was shot in two locations, and a fighter from the “Berkut” unit participated in the filming. Kristina says that his face is deliberately covered — so that everyone can imagine their loved one returning alive. And she is preparing to record the next song.