In summer of 2001, Nadezhda Chalova, Kiev resident, and Sergey Golotyuk, a resident of Moscow Region, addressed the editorial office of Kiev-based newspaper Sil'ski Visti (Rural News) with a request to publish, in the 'Ne Vtrachaemo Nadiyu...' (Not Abandoning Hope...) column, an announcement related to an old picture, which you see on the left.

On 9 November 2001, the announcement was published in Sil'ski Visti No. 134 (17193). A quotation from the newspaper text is placed in the Ukrainian version of this page. Here is a translation of the original Russian text:
 

«Our grand-dad Leontiy Denisovich Golotyuk (1890-1940), a native of Sorokotyaga village, is shown on the photo during his army service.

An exact date is unknown, but certain details of the uniform (absent colored tabs on the collar, etc.) make one suppose that the photo is done in 1912 or 1913.

Efreytor's shoulder boards, each one with a singe narrow transversal stripe, are seen on L. Golotyuk's shoulders.

Leontiy became senior unter-officer (shoulder boards with three transversal stripes each, as sergeants have in the present-day Russian and Ukrainian armies), and was decorated with St. George's Crosses, before he returned home from World War I.

We would like to know, who is seated besides L. Golotyuk. It is not improbable that this man was a habitant of Krasnoselitsa village of the former Chigirin Uezd (northern part of Kirovograd Region under the present administrative division) or Malaya Skvirka village (Skvira District of the Kiev Region).»

(NOTE. As far as I understand, efreytor, or senior soldier, is a rank similar to lance corporal, while the present-day Russian or Ukrainian sergeant is something close to corporal. In Russian Imperial infantry before 1917, efreytor was the first rank over a private soldier, the higher ranks, one after another, were junior unter-officer, senior unter-officer, feldfebel, etc. These four ranks still exist in both Russian and Ukrainian armies, now under the names of, correspondingly, efreytor, junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant.)
 

Ukrainian text of the announcement is an excerpt from the web version of the newspaper, which was available in late 2001 on the page http://www.silskivisti.kiev.ua/134/STARTALL.HTM.

I am grateful to Sil'ski Visti editorial staff and also to those few who responded to the announcement.