In the Astrakhan region, two teenagers saved four lives, risking their lives

In the Astrakhan region, two teenagers committed acts that saved four lives. 16-year-old Timur Aizhanov pulled out of the river drowning brother and sister, and 15-year-old Maxim Alexandrov helped the elderly couple to get out of the burning house. Both students became participants of the All-Russian project “Children-heroes” and received awards in the Federation Council. Details of heroic deeds, which adults did not dare to do, are in the material “MK in Astrakhan”.

Thrown into the river when the adults stayed on the shore

In the summer of 2026 in the village of Mayachnoye, 16-year-old Timur Aizhanov saved two children who were carried away by a strong current along the Bakhtemir River. Despite his own health problems, the teenager threw himself into the water and managed to pull the girl out first, and then her younger brother.

That day, the mother of the children came to the river with her daughter Anastasia and son Anatoly. The family was swimming in shallow water. The woman said that none of them could swim, so the children were forbidden to go far from the shore.

After a while, the mother froze and came out of the water, leaving the children to swim nearby. Because of the wind, what was happening on the river was hard to hear.

Suddenly, the woman heard her son scream. Turning around, she saw that the boy was carried away far from the shore, to the place where a dangerous whirlpool formed. My daughter was not visible at the time.

The mother rushed into the water, but, going through the chest, realized that she could not reach the children on her own.

According to the woman, adult men were resting nearby. She called for help, but none of them entered the water.

I started screaming, ‘Save, help, my children are drowning!’ One man kind of got up, wanted to help, but the other stopped him by the hand, and they stayed sitting, said the mother of the rescued children.

Anatoly tried to stay on the surface. The boy periodically emerged, but could not even call for help.

The woman recalls that she continued to encourage her son, although she understood how dangerous his situation had become.

“I saw my daughter’s head and another one next to me.”

Timur Aizhanov came to the rescue first. Hearing the screams, the teenager jumped into the river and headed for the children.

By that time, Anastasia had already disappeared under water. Timur managed to find the girl, lift her to the surface and deliver her to her mother.

“At one point, I saw my daughter’s head popping up and there was another head nearby. I didn't know who it was at first. When Timur approached me, I recognized him. It was just a teenager, a child, a year older than my daughter.

Handing Anastasia to his mother at a safe depth, the young man noticed that the current continues to carry Anatoly.

“I asked him, ‘Swim after your son, please do it.’” And he went after his son. He also saved him and helped us to come ashore, the mother of the children said.

Timur himself remembers what happened much more restrained. He said he heard cries for help, saw two children in the water and immediately rushed to them.

At first, the teenager pulled out the girl and handed her to her mother, after which he went after the boy. He didn’t think about endangering his life at the time.

“He will never get past someone else’s misfortune.”

Timur Aizhanov is 16 years old, he is in the ninth grade. Despite his disability, the teenager helps his mother and cares for his younger sister, who also has health problems.

In his free time, the young man likes to draw and engage in manual labor. In the future, he plans to master the profession of a tire fitter.

He has a personal dream - to meet with the famous fighter of mixed martial arts Islam Makhachev.

The teacher of physical culture and the class leader of Timur characterizes him as a friendly and responsive person, which combines softness of character and inner strength.

“He will never get past trouble, he will be the first to be near. And he does it not on display, but from the heart. He will always help his classmates in any situation, the teacher said.

The mother of the rescued children admits that she still has difficulty remembering what happened. She is grateful not only to Timur, but also to his family.

“I am immensely grateful to Timur and his mother, because she raised such a hero. If Timur had not saved us, we would have died together, the woman said.

The teenager’s mother is also proud of her son’s actions. She stressed that, despite his disability, Timur found the strength and courage to come to the aid of the children, when the adults nearby did not dare to do so.

Second teenager rescues elderly couple from burning house

Another participant of the project “Children-heroes” from the Astrakhan region was 15-year-old Maxim Alexandrov from the village of Fedorovka, Ikryaninsky district.

Late in the evening of April 4, the student was at home when he heard sharp clapping from the street. Going out into the yard, he noticed that sparks appeared on the electric counter of the neighboring house, after which a fire began.

Maxim immediately called the rescue service. The fire spread quickly and the teenager knew there were elderly couples in the house.

The situation was especially dangerous for the 84-year-old hostess, who has a disability and cannot move independently.

The schoolboy entered the smoke-filled room, helped the elderly gather and led them to a safe distance from the burning building.

After that, Maxim warned about the fire neighbors and assisted the arriving fire and rescue units.

Thanks to the actions of the teenager, both elderly people survived and were not injured.

Courage that does not depend on age

The stories of Timur Aizhanov and Maxim Alexandrov were sent to participate in the All-Russian project “Children-heroes” on the initiative of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Astrakhan region.

On November 11, the teenagers were awarded in the Federation Council. Both students showed determination in situations where human lives were under immediate threat.