Biography
Viktor Kovalenko was born in April 1957 in Voznesenka, Altai Territory, the third of five children. From childhood, Viktor was drawn to sports: he loved playing soccer and volleyball, and he skied and ran. After serving in the military, he worked as a driver for almost his entire life. He is now retired. He spent most of his life in Slavgorod. He and his wife, Valentina, have been together for nearly half a century.
Viktor first heard about God as a child from his parents. In 1993, he began studying the Bible together with his wife and children. He compared facts from the Bible with events in modern history and concluded that Bible prophecies are being fulfilled. Two years later, Viktor became one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Valentina shares her husband's worldview.
Viktor always sought to live in accordance with the law, but a criminal case was initiated against him — he was charged with extremism for his religious beliefs. The believer faced pressure from law enforcement officers. He was hospitalized with a heart attack; an investigator came to the hospital, threatened the elderly man with remand in custody, and forced him to sign a document acknowledging the case materials.
His family remains a source of support for Viktor during these difficult times.