Alina's Family
Alina Afanaskina was born into a simple Russian family. The girl's father is a former athlete, a master of sports in boxing, and at the time of the tragedy he worked in security. Her mother works as a supply manager at a court.
The family was not wealthy; to provide for their children, Dmitry Afanaskin had to work hard and long hours (see "Trials of the Afanaskin Family").
The twin girls were much desired, and they lived for them. "I lived only for my daughters... I always bought them everything. When we went to buy bicycles, they only chose different colors. I was very happy that I had children after such a long break!" the gymnasts' father said.
Alina's father Dmitry Afanaskin
Alina's mother Nadezhda Afanaskina
Older sister Yulia with her younger twin sisters Alina and Dasha
Unlike the families of some of the aggressive girls, the Afanaskin family was complete and close-knit. They lived according to tradition. And words like divorce, stepfather, and alimony were not for them. The family led a healthy lifestyle, did not consume alcohol, and encouraged their daughters to participate in sports, taking them to the gym.
Everyone who knew the family, neighbors and friends, speak of them only positively. Here's what a neighbor told reporters.
“The children always go out with their mother and look well-behaved. I don't know how something like this could have happened. They once called an ambulance for my father. Dmitry, the girl's father, agreed to help at 12 o'clock at night. He helped them get down from the seventh floor, helped them get there” the woman (a neighbor – Ed.) says, glancing around.
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/12/12/ty-tupaia-kak-taburetka
Unfortunately, that very notorious "prestigious" Gymnasium No. 5 was located near their home, and they sent their daughters there to study. Although this educational institution in Bryansk did not have the best reputation. More on this in the section "Responsibility of teachers; Unhealthy climate in the gymnasium". And among the children of ambitious parents, they didn't feel very comfortable.
Numerous fake sources wrote about alleged problems in the family and mistreatment of the daughters. However, it was later proven that the so-called "Alina's diary" is fake.
After the tragedy, the parents said nothing about the bullying. They avoided the topic, talking instead about mythical brainwashing through social media. However, as it later turned out, all participants in the events were subjected to strong pressure from the authorities and forced to sign non-disclosure agreements. This is the only way to explain these rather strange statements.
Without knowing this, some people criticized the parents for their inattention to their daughter and their lack of understanding of the real situation at the gymnasium. However, such accusations are unfounded. The Afanaskin family repeatedly complained about Alina's bullying. Here is just one of many pieces of evidence.
At Alina's family's initiative, a meeting was held between the class teacher, Alina's parents, and the parents of the aggressive girls, and things were called by their proper names. However, the conflict could not be resolved due to the unwillingness of the teachers and the parents of the aggressive children to take any concrete steps. They believed that everything would resolve itself. See more details in the sections "Responsibility of Teachers" and "Parents of Aggressive Children".
According to existing rules, the parents of the students could not enter the gymnasium and communicate with the children themselves. Such rules are adopted in Russian schools supposedly for the safety of children, but in reality, educational institutions do not want to spread any negative information about what is happening within their walls. And the parents have no choice but to take the teachers' word for it.
Alina Afanaskina was a good student, and the gymnasium had no complaints about her. Her class teacher, Lyudmila Zhireshonkova, assured everyone that the conflict with other children (the teacher persistently refused to use the word "bullying") had been successfully resolved. There was no cause for concern. More details in the section "Responsibility of teachers; Lyudmila Zhireshonkova".
Alina's parents had no reason to distrust the class teacher, a teacher with extensive experience. And it can be said with certainty that Alina's parents did everything they could in this situation, and there is nothing to reproach them for.
Arrest of Alina's father
Despite the fact that the information in "Alina's diary" about violence in the family was not verified by anyone (it was later revealed that this document was a fake), the girl's father was immediately arrested. He wasn't even released from the pre-trial detention center for Alina's funeral.
Immediately after Dmitry Afanaskin's arrest, his wife and Alina's sister Dasha found themselves in a terrible situation. This is how Alina's mother, Nadezhda Afanaskina, wrote about it:
Six months after the tragedy, the family's life has still not returned to normal.
“The father of Alina Afanaskina, the Bryansk schoolgirl who shot her classmates in the gymnasium, has lost a lot of weight, and her twin sister has still not returned to school. She is being homeschooled. This was reported to IA Regnum by the family's neighbors.”
“The whole family is under a lot of stress, and of course I won't pry into their lives. But I know a little. We sometimes talk about everyday matters; Dmitry helps me if a pipe leaks or something like that. He has lost a lot of weight; everything that happened is a great sorrow for him. And his wife too, she looks terrible. And their daughter Dasha has withdrawn into herself; they don't even know what to do with her. Before, she and Alina were always together, and now she's left alone,” explains Zinaida Grigorievna (a neighbor – Ed.)”
https://dzen.ru/a/ZizSQV0E8Arxm_y5
https://regnum.news/incidents/3885010
Following the tragedy, Dmitry Afanaskin, and subsequently his wife, continued to be persecuted in the courts. More details can be found in the section "Court Cases Against the Afanaskin Family".