Biography
Valeriy Agafonov was born in December 1964 in Lugovaya, Bolshesosnovskiy District, Perm Region. He has two older brothers and a sister. Valeriy's father died when he was about 5 years old. From early childhood, he had to help his mother, looking after livestock and working in the vegetable garden.
As a child, Valeriy played various sports and loved skiing. After school, he graduated from a vocational college in Votkinsk, Udmurt Republic, where he has lived ever since.
At the beginning of his working life, Valeriy worked as a milling machine operator. In the spring of 1992, he got a job as a rigger at the cargo unit of the company Udmurtneft-Snabzheniye LLC and has worked there for over 30 years. Valeriy's professional skills were repeatedly recognized: in 2019, his name was on the company's Board of Honor, and in 2020, he was awarded the title of "Honored Oil Industry Worker of OJSC Udmurtneft." For 12 years, Agafonov took part in "Best in the Profession" competitions and repeatedly won prizes.
At school, Valeriy shared a desk with his future wife, Svetlana. They were married in 1986. Valeriy and Svetlana enjoy nature and picking mushrooms. Despite his age, Valeriy tries to walk at least 10,000 steps each day.
Olesya, their daughter, is married. She has loved sports from childhood and holds the title "Candidate Master of Sports" in swimming; she participated in Russian championships.
Valeriy began studying the Bible in the fall of 1988 together with his family. According to the believer, they were impressed by the accuracy with which Bible prophecies are fulfilled. Valeriy especially values the hope of the resurrection because he lost his parents and a brother who died at a young age.
Studying the Bible was also crucial in their family life. "Before that, my marriage to Svetlana was on the verge of collapse," Valeriy recalls. "We were even ready to get divorced. But when we began applying Bible principles, we saw how we could change our attitude toward each other and preserve our family." The couple were baptized on the same day in 2000.
In October 2026, four of Jehovah's Witnesses were detained in Votkinsk. On the following day after searches, the court sent the Agafonovs to the pretrial detention center in Izhevsk. As a result of the criminal prosecution, Valeriy's diabetes worsened.
The arrest was a shock for the believer's family and colleagues — over many years, he had proved himself to be a conscientious person and a law-abiding citizen.