Angel’s Guardian. Mikhail Bobrov in the new film of the Presidential Library

The Presidential Library released the film “Mikhail Bobrov. Angel's Guardian”, devoted to life and professional activities of Mikhail Mikhailovich Bobrov, a Soviet and Russian military alpinist, military intelligence officer, master of sports of the USSR, honored trainer of Russia. The film will be live broadcasted on the library’s portal on January 30 at 19:00 and 21:00, and on January 31 at 6:00 and 8:00. It is also available on the library's website with the title “Audiovisual Materials” from the “Documentaries” section.

Mikhail Bobrov had many titles, including the title of Honorary Citizen of Saint Petersburg. During the Siege of Leningrad, he was a Head of the alpinists' team which disguised high buildings, that served as landmarks for the Nazi air attacks. Four young climbers painted gilded steeples and domes in color of gloomy Leningrad sky and covered with tarpaulin architectural monuments: the Admiralty; the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which spire is decorated by the Guardian Angel of Saint Petersburg; Saint Isaac's and Saint Nicholas Cathedrals; Mikhailovsky Castle and others. It was highly professional and very dangerous work, the alpinists performed it at height, blown by the Baltic winds, often listening to the roar of the enemy airplanes engines. Aircrafts tried to shoot the climbers at the low flight.

The information that the war prevented Bobrov to become a famous athlete mentioned in the film by the Presidential Library. He was born to be a great sportsman: at 14, he became the champion of Leningrad among boys, at 16 - among young men in slalom. He passes all the standards to the "Climber of the USSR" badge and climbed the mountain peaks of Elbrus, Itkol, Bolshoi and Maly Kotugay every summer. However, all his plans were destroyed by the war, and at 17, Mikhail volunteered for the front.

After a few months of short recruit training, Bobrov participated in military operations on the mountain passes of the Caucasus, making the ski battalion soldiers out of yesterday’s schoolchildren. His team took part in a difficult confrontation with skiers of the elite mountain corps "Edelweiss", which consisted of the best mountain "Gebirgsjäger" from Germany, Italy, and Austria. Hitler had reasons to be proud of them. The Führer suggested that as soon as possible the "Edelweiss" should bypass the main Caucasian ridge from the west and east and join forces to develop the offensive along the Black Sea coast. But our Soviet soldiers, almost boys, who resisted the enemy in the unequal struggle, stood on the way of Gebirgsjäger. Mikhail Mikhailovich often spoke about it at his regular meetings with young people in the Presidential Library.

After the war, M. M. Bobrov devoted himself to training and pedagogical work, engaged in staging and performing stunts for the film industry. He used to be a Head of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports at A. F. Mozhaysky's Military-Space Academy for twenty years, he also headed the Department of Physical Education at Saint Petersburg State University, and the Saint-Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Mikhail Bobrov wrote more than 100 scientific works, he was a full member of the Russian Geographical Society, president of the Federation of Modern Pentathlon of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Region, the organizer of major international competitions. Bobrov is listed in the Guinness World Records as the oldest conqueror of the North Pole. He was awarded 20 state awards, including the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

On August 11, 2018, the Presidential Library held an event, marking the 95th anniversary of Mikhail Bobrov who was born exactly on this day. He could not come to Senatskaya square, 3, because of health, but accepted congratulations online at his summer house in Komarovo. The guests of the anniversary event in the library's multimedia room noted that Mikhail Bobrov was an amazing person: kind and sincere, but with a steel core inside and of the incredible strength of mind. Anyone could become a participant in that unusual birthday celebration - the event was live broadcasted on the library’s portal.

The Presidential Library has been opened for 10 years. Now it is one of the most equipped platforms for the production of films of various subjects. The scale of the film production by the institution is impressive. The process of making various documentaries never stops in the building on Senatskaya square, 3. The library releases historical, educational, popular, scientific and educational films. Videos reflecting the main aspects of the Presidential Library activities take a special place because they capture the filming of excursions, lectures, lessons and other events. About 550 videos have been released since 2009.