As of June 1, 2018, Koku Istambulova was said to be the oldest woman in the world—and she hates being alive. In interviews leading up to her 129th birthday, Istambulova stated that she hated her life, had never had a happy day, and saw her long life as a punishment. The Russian government brought international attention to her in 2018, presenting a passport with her June 1, 1889, birthday as proof to make her the official oldest person alive by 11 years.
She lived through more than a century of Russian history, a volatile period that covered World Wars, revolutions, assassinations, and forced deportation. For Istambulova, war and hardship were everyday occurrences. Although there was some doubt about the legitimacy of Russia's claims since her birth date wasn't officially confirmed, one thing is for certain: this old Russian woman is tough as nails. She lived through history as it happened, and she hated every minute of it.
I have not had a single happy day in my life. I have always worked hard, digging in the garden...I am tired...Long life is not at all God’s gift for me, but a punishment.
It seems only fair that someone of such advanced age would be ready to move on, but Istambulova's denial that any of her days have been happy is certainly uncommon. What she believed God punished her for is anyone's guess.
I see people going in for sports, eating something special, keeping themselves fit, but I have no idea how I lived until now...Looking back at my unhappy life, I wish I had died when I was young. I worked all my life. I did not have time for rest or entertainment. We were either digging the ground, or planting the watermelons. When I was working, my days were running one by one. And now I am not living, I am just dragging through.
Koku Istambulova is certainly no stranger to war. Besides WWI, WWII, and the Bolshevik Revolution, she also witnessed the Russian Civil War and two Chechen wars during her long lifetime. The Russian Civil War took place between 1918 and 1920, while the rest of the world was wrapping up WWI. Driven by anti-Bolshevik sentiment, it tore Russia apart, with some areas like Finland splitting off from Russian control completely and falling into a civil war of its own.
While the Russian Civil War was far from Istambulova's home, the Chechen Wars involved her people directly. Some believe that the First and Second Chechen Wars destroyed any hope of a true Russian democracy.
She Outlived All Of Her Children, Including A 104-Year-Old Daughter
Koku Istambulova has seen the deaths of all of her children, including a son who was only 6 years old when he passed. According to Istambulova's relatives, her daughter Tamara passed away at the age of 104. Supposing that all of her daughter's documents (birth certificate, etc) were in order, it could lend some credence to Istambulova's title of oldest living person.
Istambulova was only 25 at the outset of World War I. The first two years of World War I were an extremely tumultuous time for Russia, and they set up events that would profoundly impact the rest of Istambulova's life. She lived through everything from Czar Nicholas II bringing Russia into the war to Russia's painful military defeats to the eventual uprising that would turn Russia from an imperialist nation into the first communist government.
When She Was 28, Czar Nicholas II And His Family Were Assassinated
Koku Istambulova was alive during the final years of Nicholas II, the last of the Romanov czars. Nicholas II became extremely unpopular after he pushed for Russia to enter World War I, which was a devastating conflict for Russia. By 1917, things had come to a head. After the Bolshevik Revolution began in March 1917, he was forced to abdicate his throne and was replaced by Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin. The Romanovs were essentially held hostage until the new government had Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their five children shot to death by a firing squad.
