Biography
Maksim was born in 1979 in Sergach, Nizhny Novgorod Region. He is his parents' only child. His father, a candidate for Master of Sport in freestyle wrestling, led a SAMBO, a type of martial arts, class and worked as a forestry protection and management engineer. His mother worked as an assembly technician at the Sergach Electromechanical Plant and later spent several years as a head nurse at the local clinic. Both parents are now retired.
Maksim grew up in a loving atmosphere; his hospitable and generous parents often invited friends over. From childhood, he was instilled with good qualities — decency, honesty, respect for elders, and love for all living things. The family often spent time outdoors: they would go to the forest, go fishing, sometimes staying overnight. This influenced Maksim's choice of profession.
Maksim graduated from the Vyatka State Agricultural Academy. Later, he worked as a sales consultant in a pet store, and before his arrest, he taught biology and chemistry at school. Maksim put his heart and soul into his work: he spent a lot of time with the children, and the students appreciated him — they would sign cards for him and give handmade gifts. In his free time, Maksim was passionate about music: he played the balalaika and guitar, picked melodies by ear, and improvised. As a teenager, he graduated from music school with a focus on the bayan (button accordion).
Maksim's grandmother instilled in him a love for God. He shared: "The love for all living things I absorbed in childhood helped me draw closer to God." Later, he began to wonder why people suffer. He heard the Bible's answer from a classmate. In 2001, Maksim became one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Maksim met his future wife Zhanna while visiting friends. Zhanna is a nurse by profession. They were brought together by similar outlooks on life. They married in 2008. The couple enjoy spending time together: going outdoors, meeting with friends, visiting their parents, and spending quiet family evenings reading and drawing.
A search of the Kalinin family's home in March 2026 disrupted their usual way of life. Maksim was placed in a pretrial detention center, and his wife had to care for their elderly parents alone. Zhanna shared: "It is very hard to be separated from the person closest to you and not be able to wish him good night every evening or good morning every day." She added: "Every day I worry about how he is holding up."
Although Maksim's parents do not share his religious beliefs, they are perplexed by his criminal prosecution. The help of friends has been an important source of support for the family during this period.