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The romance of the Soviet circus: Galina's secret marriage to Milaev
In the summer of 1951, the atmosphere of the city reached a boiling point with the erection of the circus' huge tent in the central square of Kishinev. The circus came all the way from Moscow and brought with it a wonderful performing arts from all over the Soviet Union. Residents are looking forward to the upcoming show, and children are excitedly holding their parents' hands in the hope of being able to catch a glimpse.
On the night of the opening, the lights were bright and the audience was full of people. Galina and her friends took the front row of seats, and she stood out in a delicate evening gown. With the host's exciting introduction, the show officially began. A variety of performances take place, from acrobatics to animal taming, each of which is breathtaking. However, it was Milaev's appearance that completely changed Galina's mood that night.
Milayev was dressed in a shiny performance costume, he was tall, muscular, and handsome. His acrobatic performances were the climax of the night, including breath-taking trapeze performances and difficult balancing tricks. The audience thundered with applause for his every move, and Galina was no exception, and she was fascinated by his charisma.
After the performance, Galina could not take her eyes off Milaev, who was leaving the stage. She learned more about Miraev through a circus worker she knew and asked for an introduction. The first meeting between the two takes place backstage at a circus, in a humble but life-like environment, full of props and costumes, and the smell of animals and fireworks after the show fills the air.
Milayev was a little surprised by Galina's appearance, but soon the two found common ground and talked about circus life and anecdotes about travel. Despite their different social statuses, at that moment, it seemed that all boundaries were broken. As night fell, the two had a long talk in the moonlight, deepening their understanding of each other.
In the weeks that followed, Milayev and Galina's relationship developed rapidly. They try to avoid the public eye and choose to meet in more private places. Galina often drove to the circus camps on the outskirts, which were surrounded by large forests that provided plenty of privacy. During those memorable days, the two shared many personal dreams and hopes for the future. Soon they decided to get married, a hasty but secret decision.
Brezhnev's favorite daughter and the fission of the family
As the marriage became a reality, Galina and Milayev began to settle down in a luxurious villa on the outskirts of Kishinev that was gifted by Brezhnev. The villa is located in a quiet area on the outskirts of the countryside, surrounded by lush trees and well-maintained gardens. Luxuriously furnished inside, this home features state-of-the-art facilities including a large indoor swimming pool and a private cinema and is clearly designed to provide a lifestyle of comfort and entertainment.
In addition, Brezhnev presented them with a latest, Soviet-made luxury car, beautifully decorated and equipped with the most advanced technology of the time. The car became an important tool in Milayev and Galina's social activities, and was often used to transport them to various banquets and social occasions.
However, despite the material conditions, Galina and Milayev's married life was not as happy as they initially expected. Over time, Milaev's interest began to turn to his life outside the circus. He often goes out alone and attends various parties, while Galina increasingly feels neglected and isolated. Milaev's social behavior became more and more free-spirited, and he had overly intimate interactions with multiple women, which eventually reached Galina's ears.
Galina's dissatisfaction with Milayev began to build up gradually. She tries to make up for the emptiness in her heart by buying expensive clothing and jewelry, but these material comforts don't really solve the problem. The quarrels between them became more and more frequent, and each quarrel exacerbated their emotional estrangement. Milayev's infidelity and Galina's anger became an insurmountable obstacle in the marriage.
Eventually, the marriage came to an end. Galina decided to end the relationship, even though she had hoped to use Brezhnev's power and resources to keep the marriage alive. However, in the face of Milayev's ongoing affair, Galina realizes that nothing material can make up for her emotional loss.
Shortly after the end of her relationship with Milaev, Galina ran into Igor, a young magician, at a charity dinner. Igor's performance was full of mystery and intrigument, and his confidence and charisma on stage immediately caught Galina's attention. The two had further contact after the dinner and soon developed a new relationship.
Chubanov's ambitions and the rise of power
Galina's relationship with Igor, while passionate, eventually ended with Igor's unstable career and Galina's desire for a more stable life. The end of the relationship opened a new chapter in Galina's life, and she met Chubanov at an official event shortly thereafter. Chubanov was a security guard in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and his professional background and social status were very different from those of Galina's previous partners.
Chulbanov's position in the Ministry of Internal Affairs itself gave him a certain amount of power and influence. He first met Galina during a security mission for a gathering of government officials and high-ranking military officers. Galina, as a relative of Brezhnev, was always noticeable in her appearance, and Chubanov had a clear understanding of this. Through diligence and resourcefulness, he soon rose through the ranks of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, gradually rising from an ordinary guard to a higher position.
Chubanov's initial contact with Galina was mainly due to meetings in various social situations. He is often responsible for the security of these events, and Galina is a regular customer. Their interaction was at first very formal and objective, but over time, Chubanov began to deliberately look for opportunities for a more personal communication with Galina. In a private gathering, they had a deeper conversation, which also marked a deepening of their relationship.
With Chulbanov's status steadily rising in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he began to use his authority to provide Galina with various facilities, including arranging vehicles and providing special security measures. This kind of care is not only out of personal love for Galina, but also because of the desire to further consolidate her position and influence through Galina's social network.
At the height of Chulbanov's power, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, where he oversaw a number of key internal security matters. In this position, he had access to a large amount of confidential information and financial resources. However, it was these resources and power that kept Chubanov in a whirlpool of embezzlement and corruption. He began to take advantage of his position to engage in illegal financial operations and accept bribes, which was not uncommon in the Soviet Union's top brass at the time.
Chubanov's corrupt practices included accepting bribes from businesses and individuals in exchange for government contracts, as well as taking control of specific administrative approvals for the benefit of himself and his cronies. His embezzlement eventually accumulated to a huge amount, involving enough money to be beyond the reach of ordinary Soviet citizens.
Political turmoil and the decline of the family after Brezhnev's death
In 1982, Brezhnev's death caused huge fluctuations in Soviet political circles, with far-reaching consequences for many officials who relied on his power. Chulbanov, the star who had been rising rapidly in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, suddenly found himself without his most powerful supporters. Brezhnev's death not only symbolized the end of an era, but also foreshadowed an unknown fate for many people close to him.
Shortly after Brezhnev's death, the atmosphere in the Ministry of Internal Affairs took a sharp turn for the worse. This was followed by the tragic suicide of the Minister of Internal Affairs Serokov, which further exacerbated instability and panic within the department. Serokov, who had been Chulbanov's direct superior and political ally, lost another important umbrella for Chubanov. The minister's suicide caused widespread investigations and purges in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and many officials close to Serokov came under scrutiny.
In 1983, as the political winds changed, the Soviet General Prosecutor's Office began an extensive investigation into corruption by high-ranking officials. Chubanov has been the focus of the investigation on suspicion of bribery and misappropriation of state assets during his tenure. The investigation uncovered a series of corrupt practices that he had committed over the years through abuse of power, including but not limited to accepting large bribes, manipulating government contracts, and illegally taking possession of state property.
After five years of in-depth investigation, in 1988, Chubanov was formally indicted and eventually faced a court trial. During the trial, a large amount of evidence was presented, detailing his illegal actions and plundering of public resources. This evidence includes bank records, financial statements, and records of transactions with entrepreneurs and other government officials.
In the end, Chubanov was sentenced to 12 years in prison, his property was confiscated, his military rank and all honors were stripped away.
Galina had a rough ride in her later years
In 1994, Galina had entered the age of knowing her destiny, but her life was still full of twists and turns. At the age of 60, she fell in love with a 29-year-old young entrepreneur, and the relationship quickly became the focus of the media, causing widespread public attention and heated discussions. The young man is a well-known restaurant owner who has a successful career and is on the rise in his life. In contrast, Galina seems quite lonely, and her love life and health are not optimistic.
As the relationship came to light, the evaluation of Galina from all walks of life became more complicated. Some sympathize with her persistence in constantly finding love, while others criticize her choice for ignoring the disparity in age and the eyes of society. Unfortunately, instead of bringing Galina the peace and happiness she was looking for, the relationship worsened her alcoholism due to stress and a failed relationship.
Alcoholism caused Galina's health to deteriorate rapidly, and her physical and mental condition deteriorated dramatically. The family could no longer bear to see her self-destruct like this and decided to send her to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. In the hospital, Galina had a very difficult time. Although she was professionally treated by the medical team, the prolonged alcohol dependence had caused irreversible damage to her body.
In the hospital, Galina often sat alone by the window, holding her favorite novel, Gone with the Wind. The book seemed to be her only connection to the outside world. Scarlett's tenacity and never-give-up spirit in "Gone with the Wind" often make Galina lament that her life is full of similar dramas and twists and turns. Every time she flipped, she could find her own shadow between the pages of the book, and see a woman who had been constantly trying and struggling to start anew.
However, the cruelty of reality did not leave her much chance to start over. Galina's health continued to deteriorate, and her life came to an end like a scattered page. In June 1998, Galina closed her eyes alone in the hospital, ending her magnificent and regretful life.
In the last years of her life, Galina often judged her life against her past. She has said the truth from the bottom of her heart countless times: "I just want love." This sentence is simple and profound, summing up her life's pursuit and confusion.
References:[1]Peng Hua. The tragic marriage and love history of Brezhnev's daughter[J].Communist Party member (second half of the month),2010(8):21-21