In 1970, the film 'White Sun of the Desert' was released, telling the story of the adventures of Red Army soldier Sukhov. However, viewers especially loved the secondary character, border guard Pavel Vereshchagin. Few know that his image was inspired by a real person, customs officer Mikhail Dmitrievich Pospelov, whose fate was truly dramatic.

Pospelov was born in 1884 in Oryol, graduated from the infantry school, and later served in the border guard of Central Asia. At that time, this region was extremely unstable. Bands of smugglers constantly infiltrated from Persia, and bands of Basmachis attacked villages, robbing and taking girls into harems. From the first days of service, Pospelov showed his fighting spirit, repeatedly dispersing gangs along with the border detachment. For the local residents, he became a symbol of protection and tranquility, while enemies respected and feared him, nicknaming him the Red Shaitan for his luxurious red mustache.

Pospelov also took care of the daily lives of his subordinates, setting up the dining room and barracks and solving their problems. The house shown in 'White Sun of the Desert' was based on his real residence, surrounded by walnuts, pears, and cherries. After the October Revolution of 1917, everything changed. The soldiers scattered, and Pospelov was left alone at the outpost.

But he was not going to give up. Turning his home into a fortress, he installed machine guns and stocked up on grenades. When the Basmachis decided to attack, they failed, as Pospelov shot them down. Attempts to negotiate with him and offer a bribe also failed; the Red Shaitan refused. Perhaps this is where the phrase originated: 'I do not take bribes; I am offended for the state.'

Pospelov continued to defend his outpost until the arrival of the Reds. Later, he participated in scientific expeditions and worked as a firefighter in Tashkent. Mikhail Dmitrievich died on August 10, 1962, at the age of 78, just 8 years before the screen adaptation of his image.