Biography
Back in the spring of 2019, law enforcement officers detained Larisa Kosova's husband, Nikolay. Six months later, the first search took place in their apartment, after which any knock on the door or voices behind the door caused her anxiety. In February 2025, a criminal case was initiated against Larisa and her husband. The stress associated with the second search and interrogation led to an exacerbation of her chronic illnesses.
Larisa was born in May 1969 in the village of Bekeshevskaya, Stavropol Territory. She has two brothers: the elder and the younger. Their father worked all his life as a driver, and their mother worked as a plasterer-painter at a construction site.
As a child, Larisa loved to read and listen to music. At school, she participated in a drama club and loved to go hiking. The girl actively participated in the social life of the class and school, and over time she had a desire to become a teacher. She entered the Pedagogical Institute, and after 3 years she transferred to correspondence education and moved to Sevastopol, where she worked as a kindergarten teacher for several years. In 1993, Larisa received a diploma of a primary school teacher.
Subsequently, Larisa worked as a salesperson, waitress, nanny, janitor, and for many years as a housekeeper. She had to work hard to raise her daughter from her first marriage. In 2008, Larisa had to move to Cherkessk to take care of her elderly parents, especially her mother, who suffered a stroke.
Larisa first heard about Jehovah's Witnesses from her friend, with whom she argued a lot about the Bible. However, after seeing how positively the Bible's teachings affected the woman, Larisa changed her attitude. "I wanted to figure out for myself what kind of faith is it that changes a person so much," she recalled. "From arrogant, my friend became calm, restrained and soft." Therefore, Larisa began to study the Bible more deeply and in 2008 she was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Later, her daughter Mariya was also baptized.
In 2018, Larisa married Nikolay. Together they love to take long walks, trips to the sea and mountains, as well as pick mushrooms. Larisa loves to cook and invite guests.
Larisa's father and elder brother, although they do not share her religious beliefs, worry about her and try to support her. Friends, relatives, neighbors and colleagues do not see any reasonable grounds in the persecution.