Azerbaijani soldier’s family learns fate 82 years after his death in WWII PHOTO

The long-lost relatives of Mammad Fatta (h) oglu Khudaverdiyev, an Azerbaijani soldier who died in Russia’s Smolensk region during World War II, have been located following a remarkable breakthrough in Russian search efforts.

Khudaverdiyev, born in 1918 in the Lerik district of Azerbaijan, was identified by Russian search teams through a signed spoon found among his belongings. He had been listed as missing in action since January 1943, after fighting in key battles across the Soviet Union. His death during an assault on the village of Verdino in the Smolensk region was confirmed after 82 years, sparking emotional reactions from his surviving family members.

The search effort revealed that Khudaverdiyev, who was drafted into the Soviet Army in early 1942, had defended Crimea and fought in the Battle of Sevastopol before being sent to the Smolensk area. According to his family, he was part of the 134th Rifle Division.

The Executive Authority of the Lerik District told Caliber.Az that the breakthrough came as search efforts led to his nephew, 64-year-old Hasanagha Khudiyev, who resides in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Khudiyev expressed the profound mixture of joy and sorrow he felt upon learning of the discovery.

“It’s difficult to put into words the emotions I felt when I heard that the searchers had found my uncle's remains in Smolensk. It was a moment of joy mixed with pain, knowing that he had been missing for so long," Khudiyev said. "I immediately called all our relatives to share the news. It was both a relief and a sorrowful realisation.”

Khudiyev and his family decided to bring Khudaverdiyev’s remains back to Azerbaijan for reburial, either in Baku or in the Yardimli district where they originally lived. The decision to honour their fallen hero with a proper burial marked the closing of a painful chapter for the family, who had long hoped for this moment.

The search for Khudaverdiyev's remains was a part of a larger effort to identify and return fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War.  

Khudaverdiyev had been one of many soldiers whose fate was unknown for decades, and his case had been marked by uncertainty. His family, after moving to Baku, lost track of him after he was drafted into the Soviet army. It wasn’t until 1947 that his father, Fatta (h) Teymur oglu Khudaverdiyev, made efforts through the Military Commissariat to find his son, but those efforts were in vain.

Now, after more than 80 years, the Khudaverdiyev family is finally receiving closure, albeit bittersweet. Khudiev spoke about the pride he feels in learning more about his uncle’s service to his country, even as the family continues to mourn the loss of a beloved relative who had been lost in the annals of history.

As Khudaverdiyev's remains are prepared for reburial, his story serves as a poignant reminder of the many soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, their identities and sacrifices buried under the passage of time—until now.

By Tamilla Hasanova