A Russian World War II veteran who made headlines by mailing his war medals to the prime minister demanding a new house, on Thursday agreed to move into his old house after it was completely refurbished.
The authorities in the central Russian Voronezh region said they were unable to provide 87-year-old veteran Vasily Zasorin with a new home under President Dmitry Medvedev’s order to provide proper housing to all war veterans.
As Russia celebrated Soviet victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, Zasorin posted his treasured medals to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, saying he returned his war decorations “to the motherland that has become a wicked stepmother.”
“Today he returned to his old house, completely refurbished,” municipal head Alexander Beregovich told RIA Novosti.
Local authorities have laid gas, water and sewerage pipes to Zasorin’s house, built an extra room housing a kitchen, bathroom and indoor toilet and changed the roof, floors, doors and windows in the old building.
The municipal official said the veteran thoroughly inspected the house and said he had no complaints.