He Went to Invade Afghanistan—40 Years Later, This Russian Soldier Returned Home as a Muslim Grandfather

After four decades in Afghanistan, Noor Mohammad—once known as Sergei Yurevich Krasnoperov—has finally returned to his native Russia. Now 60 years old, he left behind a life defined by war, faith, and resilience to briefly revisit his roots in Kurgan, a city in the West Siberian Plain. His journey from Soviet soldier to Afghan citizen is a rare and extraordinary tale of transformation, survival, and belonging.

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From Siberia to the Afghan Front

In 1983, Sergei Krasnoperov was conscripted into the Soviet Army and dispatched to Afghanistan during one of the most brutal periods of the Cold War. The Soviet invasion, which began in 1979, aimed to support Afghanistan’s communist government but triggered a fierce and protracted resistance from the mujahideen. The conflict would ultimately claim the lives of over 15,000 Soviet soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Afghans.

Sergei’s story took a dramatic turn when he made a decision that changed the course of his life: he left his military base unarmed. According to him, it was a moment of instinct and reflection. “I didn’t know what awaited me, but I knew I couldn’t be part of this anymore,” he says.

When he was captured by Afghan fighters, they chose not to harm him. “Because I was unarmed, they showed mercy,” he recalls. “The commander told his men, ‘This man came of his own will, leave him be.’” That moment marked the beginning of his new life.

A New Identity: Noor Mohammad

Accepted by the mujahideen, Sergei converted to Islam and adopted the name Noor Mohammad. He was not sent to the frontlines but contributed to the resistance in support roles—fueling tanks, managing supplies, and loading ammunition. “It was all part of the war effort,” he explains.

He recalls the early days of his new life with a mixture of nostalgia and humility. “I wasn’t religious before. Back in Russia, we only cared about vodka and women. But here, people respected me, taught me their ways, and helped me find peace.”

Noor Mohammad quickly learned the local language and integrated into the community. The mujahideen encouraged him to marry and build a life in Afghanistan. He did just that—marrying an Afghan woman and eventually fathering 13 children, though heartbreak shadowed their joy: seven of his children died in infancy. Today, he has six surviving children and two grandchildren.

A Quiet Life in Kabul

Over the years, Noor Mohammad worked as a diesel generator mechanic for Afghanistan’s national energy company. He led a modest life, earning around 5,000 Afghanis (roughly 100 U.S. dollars) per month. Despite the financial hardship, he never wavered in his commitment to his adopted country.

Even when the Russian embassy offered to repatriate him and his family, he declined. “My mother came in the 1990s and begged me to return, but I couldn’t,” he says. “Russia is no longer the superpower it once was. People there struggle. Here, even the Taliban respect me.”

His life became so intertwined with Afghan culture that most wouldn’t guess his Russian origins—except perhaps for his daughter, who rides a motorbike, a rare sight in conservative Afghan society.

Return to Russia

Now, after 40 years, Noor Mohammad has returned to Russia—but not to resettle. He came back to visit his aging mother, who is now 80 years old and still living in Kurgan. The reunion is bittersweet. “This place feels distant, almost unfamiliar,” he says. “But I had to see my mother one last time.”

His visit has drawn attention not just for the personal reunion, but as a powerful symbol of the unexpected paths taken during the Soviet-Afghan War. Noor Mohammad is one of the few former Soviet soldiers who never returned home after the war—by choice, not by force.

A Man Between Two Worlds

Noor Mohammad embodies a rare duality: a man born Russian, shaped by war, but ultimately defined by faith and adopted family. He holds an Afghan passport, speaks Dari fluently, and considers Afghanistan his true home.

“I’m a proud Afghan,” he says simply. “I found peace, purpose, and people who treated me like one of their own. That’s more than I ever had back in Russia.”

His journey reflects the broader human consequences of global conflicts—stories not of generals or governments, but of individuals caught in the crosswinds of history, who forge new identities and find unexpected belonging far from home.

As he prepares to return once again to Kabul, Noor Mohammad leaves behind not just a country, but a chapter of a life that began with a war and transformed into a tale of faith, resilience, and quiet dignity.

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