"We don't say the word 'war'": granddaughter of Red Army General Mikhail Malinin featured in the National Centre RUSSIA podcast

The National Centre RUSSIA continues its new project — the podcast series "Tell Me About Victory," dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and to the heroes whose feats remain forever in the memory of generations.

In the eighth episode, the guest was Nadezhda Malinina — granddaughter of Red Army General and Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Sergeyevich Malinin.

He served as Chief of Staff for five victorious fronts and took direct part in developing key operations of the Great Patriotic War: the Battle of Moscow, the Oryol–Kursk operation, the Vistula–Oder operation, the Battle of Berlin, and others.

"No one in our family ever said the word 'war'. That just wasn’t done in our house. My grandfather never spoke about the brutal fighting near Smolensk or the Vyazma operation, where thousands were killed or captured. The most terrifying part of the war, he said, was its beginning — the Battle of Moscow," Nadezhda Malinina recalls.

Malinin was part of Marshal Rokossovsky’s team. If they took risks in battle, they did so together. It was under Stalingrad that this tandem captured the infamous Field Marshal Paulus. However, he was treated with humanity and was not humiliated.

In 1944, Malinin was transferred to the Berlin front, where he served under Zhukov.

"My grandfather met Victory in Berlin. He remained there until 1947 and was appointed Chief of Staff of the Soviet troops in Germany," noted Nadezhda Malinina.

In addition, the general’s granddaughter spoke about his childhood and youth, as well as the story of him meeting his wife, who later became Chairwoman of the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR. She emphasised that he was a very kind father and grandfather.

In the general’s homeland in the Kostroma region, a museum dedicated to him is in operation, and for 30 years a chess tournament has been held in his honour. There is also an idea to open a children's camp named after General Malinin, and this initiative has already begun to take shape.