Maxine's Journey

In the early days of Russia’s War on Ukraine, Maxim Perov’s Russian unit was deployed deep inside Ukrainian territory. As Russia’s blitzkrieg faltered, the unit found itself surrounded by overwhelming enemy forces, and Maxim thought they might not get out alive. Yet, in those harrowing moments, Maxim’s fear of dying on the battlefield was overshadowed by the lifelong struggle she had been confronted with due to her gender identity.

Fast forward nearly three years, and Perov is still alive – but her name is now Maxine Perova, and she has left behind her identity as a soldier. One of the last people in Russia to legally complete a gender transition (the process was banned in July 2023), her decision affirmed her true self, but it also cost her a place in the military.

Maxine is now living in Russia as a woman, her gender dysphoria resolved. And while the Russian state that has been violating Ukrainian sovereignty since 2014 has also unleashed a campaign against people with non-traditional sexual orientations and gender identities, Maxine’s loyalty to Russia has not wavered. Russian Life met with Maxine to hear her story.