Award Record of President Toqayev’s Father Published by Russian Defense Ministry

The Russian Ministry of Defense has published the award record of Sergeant Kemel Toqayev, father of Kazakhstan’s President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev, Orda.kz reports, citing KeyNews.

According to the document, Toqayev Sr. received the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree, for his bravery in January 1945 on Polish territory. He broke through enemy positions, killed five soldiers, and captured one.

Despite a serious leg injury, he continued his mission.

On January 21, 1945, in the area northwest of Yegliyevets, the Germans counterattacked our positions at night. The machine gunners steadfastly guarded their tanks, and then went on the attack and pushed the Germans back. Comrade Toqayev was the first to break into the enemy's position and eliminated five Germans with his machine gun fire, and captured one wounded German. Returning to his unit's location with the prisoner, Toqayev was wounded in the leg by an explosive bullet. Toqayev shot the captured German, and overcoming the pain, bandaged the wound, he reached his tanks,
the document states, signed by Guards Lieutenant Colonel Afanasy Povarov, commander of the 7th separate Guards Lomzhinsky heavy tank breakthrough regiment.

That day, Toqayev’s shin was shattered by an explosive bullet. He was evacuated, and doctors initially planned an amputation.

However, a meeting with young doctor Gavriil Ilizarov, who would later become a world-famous surgeon, proved fateful. Ilizarov applied early sketches of his invention — a device for bone restoration — during treatment.

Earlier, a book about Kemel Toqayev’s life was published in Moscow, and in October 2023, a university auditorium named after the journalist and Soviet writer was opened at KazNU.

It was also reported that the President’s father’s book, The Mysterious Trace, was recently translated into the Bashkir language ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova