Evgeny Rukhin (ru) (1943-1976) was born in Saratov, Russia into a family of scientists.
He began painting at the age of twenty, during his geology studies.
He was married to Galina Popova, an official Soviet artist who studied stained glass during her art school days.
[2] In John McPhee's book, the Ransom of Russian Art, McPhee recounted five interviews he had with Rukhin's associates (who had not been at the scene of the fire) about Rukhin's death.
[3] Rukhin's wife, Galina, stated that a doctor and a medical student had told her Rukhin had been "murdered by a drug injection before the fire.