“My uncle is launching missiles at my father”: Russian Defense Minister's niece urges MoD chief Andrei Belousov to stop shelling Ukraine

Cover photo: Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, his first cousin, and his great-niece Natalia Vertinskaya

RU

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov's niece, blogger Natalia Vertinskaya, recently recorded an appeal urging him to cease shelling Ukraine, where their common relatives live. In a conversation with The Insider Live host Marfa Smirnova, Vertinskaya made public the names of Belousov's Ukrainian relatives. The Insider verified the information and confirmed that Vertinskaya is indeed a relative of Russia's newly appointed Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who succeeded longtime Putin ally Sergei Shoigu as part of a government reshuffle in May. Belousov’s first cousin lives in Kyiv and his grandparents are buried in Kyiv.

“Your relatives and ancestors’ graves are in Kyiv”

The appeal to Defense Minister Andrei Belousov was not the first time his niece published the video, but it was the first time it was noticed by the media. In the video, Vertinskaya, who now lives in the United States, said that 10 years ago she lived in Kyiv and regularly visited the Okhmatdyt children's hospital with her disabled child.

Okhmatdyt was struck by a Russian missile on July 8, killing two adults and injuring dozens of others, including children.

On July 10, Ukraine’s Minister of Health Viktor Liashko confirmed that a young boy who was in critical condition in Okhmatdyt's intensive care unit at the time of the missile attack had died, bringing the fatality count to three. In total, Russian forces' strikes on several Ukrainian cities on July 8 resulted in at least 42 civilian deaths, including five children, and injured at least 190 people, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

Vertinskaya reminded the Russian defense minister that his cousin continues to live in Kyiv and that his grandparents are buried there. Natalia urged the defense minister to stop sending “his fellow citizens to certain death”:

“I am urging you, Uncle Andrei, to think about what you are doing — and stop. Please stop! I have known you always as a kind, decent man. I want you to think, rethink and stop. Uncle Andrei, please pray, think about what you're doing. This can't go on any longer. Please, [those who watch the appeal], tell the whole world that the Russian Defense Minister has a cousin living in Kyiv. And his grandparents and his aunt are also buried in Kyiv. My father continues to watch over these graves.”

“My uncle is launching missiles at my father”

The Insider confirmed that Major General Alexander Belousov, Natalia’s great-grandfather and Andrei Belousov’s grandfather, is indeed buried in Kyiv. According to Natalia, neither Andrei Belousov nor his father, renowned Russian economist Rem Belousov, have been in contact with their Ukrainian relatives for many years. Vertinskaya also shared a video from Kyiv, showing the graves of the Russian Defense Minister's grandparents.

“When I found out that my uncle became the Minister of Defense of Russia and now launches missiles at my father — his cousin — I no longer had the patience to keep silent. I wish to remind everyone that Andrei Removich Belousov has close relatives in Ukraine and that his ancestors' graves are there. I call upon the entire universe for him to remember, to listen, to stop following orders blindly, and to let his humanity prevail. I have appealed to him before, but it did not garner such attention. I believe my actions are not illegal; I am simply advocating for humanity and urging an end to bloodshed.

I have never had any direct contact with Andrei Removich, nor has my father. Uncle Rem, as we called him, chose to distance himself from his Ukrainian relatives and seemed to treat us with disdain. My father knew him as a boy and remembered his visits to Kyiv. After he moved to Moscow, we lost all contact.”

“I told him about my disabled child, whom I call 'Chernobyl's child,' likely affected by genetic issues. We have made numerous trips to the Okhmatdyt hospital, renowned for its specialists and equipment, located just 10 minutes from my house. My father described the powerful explosions, which frightened even him — a seasoned hunter. At nearly 75 years old, he works two jobs and lives in a modest Soviet-era apartment. He does electrical work and serves as a security guard. He plans to attend my wedding in October. I’ll ask him to come early.”