The wife spoke about the drunk driver who ran over and killed two girls in the Sverdlovsk region.

      The wife of 37-year-old Mikhail, who caused the fatal crash in Revda, shared details about what preceded the tragedy. According to Yulia, her husband is a participant in the special military operation. He spent two and a half years on the operation, and this summer he suffered a serious wound and ended up in the hospital. The man was recently discharged and sent home for a two-month rehabilitation. He had been in Revda for only a week.

      “He came from the hospital but slept at home only once. Then he rented a cottage somewhere and was drinking constantly. It seems he completely lost his mind. I begged him to come home, but he wouldn’t listen. Now I blame myself for not being able to stop him,” Yulia told E1.RU in an interview.

      Yulia works as a preschool teacher; the couple has a young son. Before taking part in the special military operation, Mikhail got by on temporary jobs: he worked as a welder, installed windows, but never stayed anywhere for long. According to his wife, the reason for his frequent dismissals was alcohol abuse.

      “He had driven drunk before. I was against buying a car, but after the injury he has severe leg injuries and can barely walk. That’s why he decided to buy a car, to be able to get around somehow,” the woman added.

      According to the outlet, the Lada that Mikhail hit the children with was purchased only a few weeks earlier. On the evening of October 27 the man, intoxicated, was driving along Chekhov Street, lost control and drove onto the sidewalk. At that moment three girls were standing at the pedestrian crossing, waiting for the green light.

      Two of them — biological sisters born in 2016 and 2018 — died at the scene. Their friend, born in 2014, sustained serious injuries and is now in intensive care.

      Mikhail was hospitalized after the accident, but his wife did not go to him.

      “I learned about the crash from the news. Then a friend called and said that he was behind the wheel. I don’t even know the surnames of the girls who died,” Yulia admitted.

      According to court records, Mikhail had previously been held accountable three times for driving under the influence. In 2015 his driver’s license was revoked for one and a half years, and in 2018 he was again punished under the same article.

      In addition, in 2024 a case was filed in the Yekaterinburg garrison court over his refusal to undergo a medical examination for intoxication. The hearing was postponed 20 times, and the next session was due to take place next week.