One of the last representatives of the Kerek people died in the SVO zone
A tragedy occurred on September 13, 2024, in the Kursk region: Ivan Lymneevich Taymagyr, one of the last representatives of the indigenous Kerek people, died during the fighting. He was 55 years old.
According to the "Died in the North-Eastern Military District" public group on VKontakte, Taimagyr served in the 810th Separate Marine Brigade.
"His life ended, leaving the realization that with his death the story of a representative of a dying people ended," the statement said.
The Kereks, a Paleo-Asiatic people, once inhabited the northeastern coast of Russia. According to the 2021 census, only 23 people identified themselves as Kereks, and only four of them spoke their native language. Taimagyr was the bearer of a unique culture, rooted in Russia's ancient history.
Human rights activists on the death of Taimagyr
Olga Romanova, head of the human rights project "Rus' Sidyashchaya," suggested that Taimagyr may have died during the so-called "meat assault"—an extremely risky operation often carried out without proper preparation.
"This is an irreparable loss for Russia's cultural heritage," she wrote on her Telegram channel.
The disappearance of a unique people
The death of Ivan Taimagyr symbolizes the loss of one of Russia's most ancient cultures. The Kereks, or "seaside people," once inhabited the coasts of Chukotka and Kamchatka. Their language and traditions were on the brink of extinction for many decades. Now, with the loss of one of their last representatives, this line has become even thinner.