Nikita Afanasyevich Beketov, born on September 8, 1729, and died on July 9, 1794, was a lieutenant general and governor of Astrakhan. In his youth, he was educated at the Noble Corps, where during a performance attended by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, he caught her attention and became her favorite. After graduating from the corps, Beketov was promoted to prime major and appointed as an adjutant to Count A.G. Razumovsky. Soon he became a colonel and was gifted wealthy estates in 1751. However, after losing the empress's favor, Beketov joined the army and participated in the Seven Years' War. He was captured at the Battle of Zorndorf and remained a prisoner until 1760. In 1763, he was appointed governor of Astrakhan. In this position, he attracted German colonists, founded a colony, and promoted the development of agriculture, viticulture, sericulture, and other industries. His method of taxing the fishing industry brought significant revenue to the state. Beketov was also engaged in literary activities, writing poems, songs, and dramas. In his honor, the area of the village of Staraia Otradna in Volgograd is unofficially called Beketovka.