Valentina grew up in Novocherkassk in the Rostov Region and as a child witnessed part of the 1962 events in the city ( see Novocherkassk massacre ) . Later in life she learned that her mother , then 23 , had saved the life of a policeman during those confused and tragic days . Her father was Ukrainian ; the city of Novocherkassk has many historical ties with Ukraine , as do its present inhabitants ( pop . 170,233 in 2016 )
Novocherkassk massacre
Novocherkassk massacre
Valentina Cherevatenko