Nurlan, born in 1966 in the village of Kairma (now part of the Jayil district), was drafted into service in 1985 by the Kalinin military enlistment office. His journey began with training in Tajikistan, after which he was sent to Afghanistan, where he served in the ranks of the Soviet army.
"In Tajikistan, we spent three months in quarantine, undergoing training in a motorized rifle unit. Then we were transferred to Pul-i Khumri in Afghanistan, where I became the deputy commander of an anti-tank platoon consisting of 38 soldiers," the veteran recalls.
Jarkeev's total service duration in Afghanistan was 1 year and 9 months, during which he made 27 combat sorties. One of these sorties led to his award for a heroic act. "In the spring of 1986, our platoon was involved in an operation to eliminate the 'mujahideen.' The enemy put up serious resistance, and our platoon commander was wounded. Finding ourselves surrounded, I took command and operated a heavy machine gun. As a result, our platoon emerged without losses," Jarkeev recounts. Although he does not consider his actions heroic, the military leadership assessed the situation and nominated him for an award, which at that time was only given to wounded and severely wounded servicemen. "I received it without having a single injury," the veteran clarifies.
The awarding of the Order of the Red Star took place in 1987, when Nurlan had already returned home.
After completing his service in Afghanistan, he worked for three years at the Kara-Balta carpet factory and then transitioned to law enforcement.
For 20 years, Jarkeev served as an inspector in the patrol service, and now, while retired, he continues to work in a security agency.
