Parents

His mother, Yefrosynia Fedorivna Sytskova, worked as a laborer on a collective farm. His father was Fedir Vasylovych.  He worked in the same collective farm as a tractor team leader. They worked hard but managed to provide education for four sons and two daughters. They are buried in the village cemetery of Kaz-Maidan village.

Place of birth

He was born on November 28, 1944, in the village of Kaz-Maidan, Kovylkino district, Mordovia.

Childhood

He attended a village school from 1952, where he met his future wife, our grandmother, for the first time. His childhood was hard because he had to combine school with exhausting farm work. The family had many pets and fields to feed the large family.

Youth

Mykhailo studied up to the seventh grade at a secondary school, and then transferred to Kachelaivka school and finished the 10th grade. He started working very early. His first job was at a collective farm as a laborer. There, he quickly gained respect and trust among his colleagues and management.

Moving to Ukraine

In the early '60s, the most promising career was in mining. Mykhailo knew this, and he dreamed of moving to a place where he could get a mining education and get into production. At that time, the restoration of Donbas was still gaining momentum, and after a short visit to Luhansk, he decided to move to Sverdlovsk, where he could get a job as a longwall miner. It was his dream, and he achieved it at the age of 19 in 1963.

Student days

He completed his studies in the industrial city of Sverdlovsk, Luhansk Oblast of the Ukrainian SSR. There, he learned basic skills of working underground, which he improved throughout his long mining career. Immediately after graduation, he was sent to work as a mine foreman at the Provalie mine.

Military service

After several years of working at the mine, Mykhailo was drafted to serve in a military unit in Minsk. For his impeccable service and great responsibility, he was promoted to platoon commander. He served for more than two and a half years and was demobilized in the spring of 1968. During his service, he made many friends with whom he corresponded for many years. After his demobilization, he was offered a good position in the Moscow police, but he preferred mining work.

A career at the Vakhrushev mine

After his service, he was invited to work at the Vakhrushev mine near the town of Rovenky, Luhansk Oblast. At the time, it was one of the most modern mines in Luhansk Oblast, where his experience and people management skills were in great demand. At Vakhrushev, he worked as a miner and then as a foreman at the cleaning section. He received many awards for his impeccable work and exceeding the coal production plan. Among them are the Order of the Badge of Honor in 1974, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1984, Miner's Glory, and the Honorary Miner.

The Chernobyl disaster

The Chornobyl disaster, which occurred on April 26, 1986, is one of the largest man-made disasters in world history. Its consequences still affect the lives of millions of people, and the exclusion zone reminds us of the enormous cost of mistakes in the field of nuclear energy. In October 1987, Mykhailo was called up to eliminate the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster. Mykhailo served as the commander of the supply unit. He also worked at the infamous Prypiat restaurant. The consequences of fighting the invisible enemy, the radiation, did not go unnoticed. Mykhailo received low doses of radiation, but it affected his health. Some time after returning from service, he underwent surgery to remove a portion of his stomach. For his participation in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster, he was awarded the "Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Liquidator" award.

Return to the Vakhrushev mine

Working in a mine has always been one of the hardest and most dangerous professions. Miners undergo enormous physical exertion working deep underground in conditions of extreme danger and lack of fresh air. This has led to the development of various occupational diseases, one of which is silicosis. Mikhail has been suffering from it since the 80s.

Mykhailo Baryshnikov worked in the coal industry until he retired in 2005. Even after he was able to take a vacation, he continued to work at the mine for several more years. Work was an important part of his life.

Kids

Виховував двох дітей, двох онуків та правнучку. Син Віталій і донька Оксана народились у містечку Червоний партизан. Вони прийняли від батька любов до праці й літератури. Михайло трохи не дочекався ще одного правнука, якого назвали на честь нього.

The last years of life

Shortly before his death, Mykhailo was often ill, and his work in the mine took its toll. Pneumonia along with silicosis, unfortunately, left the elderly Mikhail Fedorovich no chance of recovery. He died at his home on July 7, 2020 in Rovenky, Luhansk Oblast.

Legacy

Mykhailo Fedorovych Baryshnikov left behind a lot of memories of himself. In the professional community, he is remembered as a responsible foreman who could be trusted with anything. Over the years, he knew the mine and his job like no one else. His family remembers him as a good father, grandfather, and husband. If I recall the image of my grandfather, he is always a neat, calm admirer of literature and board games. In the family's memory, he will always remain an example of a good man.
Mykhailo Fedorovych is buried at the central cemetery in Rovenky. He lived a long and decent life. He was always a decent, honest and very kind person.