On January 10, the theater and film actor Mikhail Levchenko died after a long battle with illness, as reported by a television channel serving the city of Yaroslavl. The notice arrived as the regional arts community prepared to say goodbye to a performer who had remained active on local stages despite his health challenges, earning respect for his steady commitment to the craft and for the years he spent on stage in central Russia.
Levchenko was 72. Local outlets corroborated the news, noting that the actor died in a hospital after a prolonged illness. Regional media described his passing as the end of a long and productive life in the performing arts, a career that touched audiences across theater and screen.
A colleague stated that the actor passed away this morning after a long illness. Despite his condition, Levchenko continued to perform at the Yaroslavl Chamber Theater, a company he joined after working at the Youth Theater and the Fyodor Volkov Theater, showing a steadfast dedication to his craft and a love for the stage that endured to the end.
Colleagues have not yet announced the date or place of the farewell ceremony for the artist, as the theater community awaits official announcements and arrangements that honor a life spent on stage and screen.
Mikhail Levchenko was born in Tyumen. After finishing school, he spent a year working as a flight engineer in aviation before turning to the theatre. He completed a theater course at the Tyumen Drama Theater and later studied at the Yaroslavl Theater Institute. In 2010 he received the title Honored Artist of Russia, a recognition of his contributions to stage and national cinema through decades of performances.
The artist made his first screen appearance in 1989, portraying a police officer in the television film Death, based on Vladimir Tendryakov’s story. Over his career he appeared in about eighty films and television series, including Scary Time, Young Wolfhound, Sea Patrol, Mosgaz, Case No. 2: Executioner, and Partners. His last on screen appearance was in the 2023 series The Boy’s Word. Blood on the Asphalt, where he played an elderly man in a market scene.
Also on January 10, actress Evgenia Dobrovolskaya died. Earlier, actor Anatoly Khropov, known for SashaTanya and Streets of Broken Lanterns, had passed away.