Age 55; Russia, Moscow.

Vladimir Korablev was born in 1947. He graduated from several military academies, and worked in a host of African countries, including Mali, where he was a military attaché in the embassy of the USSR from 1983 to 1987. From 1991 to 1997 he was a military attaché in France. From 1992-2002 he was the Russian military advisor to the OBSE in Vienna. He received many awards and decorations, including the military order of “Service in the Armed Forces”. The Russian Orthodox Church also awarded him the order of “Daniel Moskovsky” for his work in reviving the Church in Paris.

The sad news of the death of Volodya Korablev and his daughter Natasha in the theatrical center on Dubrovka left shaken all who knew and loved this intelligent, educated, and hospitable Russian fellow.

I happened to work with him in Africa and France. He was a very open and frank officer, despite his special responsibilities. His affability completely destroyed the axiom of the swaggering and inaccessible Soviet-Russian diplomat, and even more so the anecdotal military man of the Soviet era.

Volodya spoke a minimum of five languages, and was very well read. He also had a dee appreciation and love of the arts. He knew to meet and regard people not by the clothes they wore, but by their character, and he was drawn to people without regards for his own self-interest, but just in search of interesting and pleasant human contact.

Volodya was a religious officer. He was well known in his parish in the Paris suburb of Vanve, at the Holy Trinity, Holy Martyrs, and Russian Confessors Orthodox church. He made an unconditional contribution to strengthen the authority of the cathedral and his parish, and Volodya enjoyed a long-lasting friendship with the church's former director.

Vladimir Borisovich attended 'Nord-Ost' with his wife Lena and daughter Natasha. When his son Daniel arrived at the hospital after the assault on the theater, only Lena remained among the living. It was a tremendous loss, since not long before this tragedy the family had suffered the deaths of Volodya's daughter in law and tiny grandson.

Colonel Korablev was a military attache in France and still had many friends in Paris and the rest of that country. I am now appealing to those friends of his who are perhaps reading these lines. Let us remember our dear friend and his daughter as martyrs. We lost Volodya, a man who decorated and ennobled this not so enjoyable existence of ours, an existence where a man who passed through the carnage of African flash points unscathed lost his life at the theater in his capital city.



Victor Onuchko
Journalist
Courrier Parisien, No. 5, 2002

Be first to comment this article

Write Comment
Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
Name:
E-mail
Homepage
Title:
BBCode:
Comment:
Code:*
	I wish to be contacted by email regarding additional comments

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved