In the early 20th century, many prominent Russian cultural figures found themselves abroad. Some emigrated to save their lives, while others unexpectedly became émigrés without even leaving their hometown. Among the latter was Russian soldier and young singer Petr Lechtenko. His fate was tragic: despite the admiration for his talent, including from Shalyapin, and popularity among thousands of fans, he ended his life in the dungeons of the Soviet security services.

Petr Lechtenko was born on June 14, 1898, in what is now Ukraine. Soon, his mother moved with him to Chisinau, where she married a dental technician. From childhood, Petr showed musical abilities, and he was accepted into the military and church choirs due to his excellent hearing and voice. However, World War I changed his life: in 1915, 17-year-old Petr enlisted as a volunteer in the 7th Don Cossack Regiment, and in 1917, after graduating from the officer school, he found himself in the 55th Infantry Podolsk Regiment, where he commanded a platoon. During one of the battles, he was wounded and ended up in a hospital, and after recovering, he found himself in another country, as by that time the Bolsheviks had come to power, and Bessarabia had passed to Romania.

After recovering, Petr continued his musical career, initially performing in restaurants, and later as a dancer and singer, touring cities in Romania. In 1925, he visited France, where his concerts were a great success, bringing him worldwide fame. He was especially loved by Russian émigrés, who flocked to his performances around the world. Lechtenko's popularity grew, his records were released, and once, Shalyapin himself attended his concert, noting the Russian soul with which Petr performed his songs. During World War II, Lechtenko continued to perform in Romania, came to Odessa for concerts, and opened his restaurant.

Hard times came after the arrival of the Soviet army. At first, he was allowed to give a few concerts for Soviet soldiers, but in 1951, he and his wife were arrested. For four years, Lechtenko was subjected to beatings and torture, forced to renounce his wife and sign a confession, but he remained silent. At the only meeting with his wife, he showed her his hands, blackened from torture, and said: "Vera! I am not guilty of anything, of anything!" Despite the absurdity of the charges, he was tortured to death. Petr Lechtenko died in custody on July 16, 1954.

His wife was sentenced to death, but later her death sentence was commuted to 25 years in a labor camp. In the same year of 1954, she was released and rehabilitated. Vera Belousova-Lechtenko passed away in 2009 in Moscow.

Today, the name of the great singer has been cleared of slander. Streets are named after him, poems and songs are dedicated to him, documentaries are made, and in 2013, a multi-part film "Petr Lechtenko. Everything That Was..." was released.