RUSSIA, 1951
Photo – 12-year-old Mironov in Budyonovka. The future General Mironov. The future “General Mironov” already with that proud look, as if he knew that Budyonovka would seal his fate. Almost like a KGB passport photo in slow motion, only twelve years too early and it’s easy to imagine how this boy would later be
described in the memories of others as “always destined for greatness.”
…I wanted to become a Chekist just like Uncle Sasha. I wanted to walk around town in a leather jacket and catch bandits and CIA spies. I also wanted to wear that Budyonovka Red Army hat, like that one on the picture in Uncle Sasha’s room.