Vasily Vasilyevich Nandev

Born in Kharovsk, 15 February 1910. 

His father is Vasily Konstantinovich Nandev (????-1910). His mother is Oksana Borisovna Eliseeva. His eldest sister is Nadezhda Vasilyevna Nandeva (1903-1918). His middle sister is Anastasia Vasilyevna Nandeva (1905).

The father already died from Tuberculosis when his mother pregnant of Vasily, so he already fatherless since beginning. Vasily can only learned that he could have a cool and beloved father, based on the story told by the mother and the sisters.

The mother and two sisters are working as tailor in a fabric factory, and the family an eternal debt to a noble who is a loan shark that entrapped several tailors in the factory include Nandev family. This intensifies during WWI, and Vasily has to help collecting money despite being child labor in factory. 

Though later when the noble executed during 1917, Vasily's family can live in peace a bit because the nobleman escaping from the city. Vasily finally found job as newspaper boy after WWI ended, as he doesn't want to just stuck inside factory all day. 

Around 1920, his oldest sister Nadezhda got offered to become model at France, but never come back after many months passed... then learned about the trafficking when Vasily interact with other people. This causing Vasily went into depression in 1921, until he was easily influenced by some thugs to use opium, when he is walking around the street to sell newspaper.

Vasily addicted quite fast when first time offered, and he is somewhat become a child smoker and alcoholic since that. He becomes the problem itself: the money from selling newspaper is cut for his addiction. His hair never grow long just before hitting teenager times, because keep falling out. And his growth stunted till he is only around 150cm. The mother and Anastasia can't stop him since they are also become more frequent to work at factory and cannot look after him.

Eventually, Vasily caught by Militsia for drug abuse. The Militsia offered Vasily to become a low-class spy to catch the drug dealer so he won't be convicted to jail... and Vasily accepted. He will spend his teenhood to be a spy and deal with criminal world. The payment is okay than as newspaper, but slowly he is wanting to have better life than just stuck in one place.

When he heard about Alexandrov Ensemble who just become popular after 1930, he decided to join out of curiosity if he can erase his past. One problem, though: voice is actually not too naturally good, mostly damaged voice because of the drug+smoke+alcohol abuse. He applied since 1930 but kept rejected. And that's where he decided to reduce the alcohol and smoking so much and never giving up to apply each 6 months. Finally he was accepted in 1932 as bass chorist. 

Militsia in Kharovsk city somewhat reluctant because Vasily was their best informant. However because Vasily is now fully working under state-owned ensemble (and protected by Commisar of Defense too), Militsia can only give the homework task "Report to us if there is anyone in the ensemble who dealing with drug dealer or any crime in general."

And so... it was the time Vasily able to learn the other side of world: the place where he doesn't have to worry about crimes and involving drugs. The place where he finally can send the money to the family properly and wrote the letter "Please seek other casual factory and don't worry about money anymore. I will provide". This is also become his redemption after his years of drug abuse.