UK's `Captain Tom' inspires campaign by 97-year-old Russian

Inspired by 99-year-old Briton Tom Moore's multi-million pound charity walk, a Russian fellow World War II veteran has launched her own effort to gather contributions for the families of doctors and nurses who have died of COVID-19.

Zinaida Korneva, 97, isn’t walking laps in her garden as Moore did in the days up to his 100th birthday last month. Instead, she’s launched a website with videos telling of her trials as a Red Army soldier in the Stalingrad region.

In one of the videos she credits Moore, who served in the British army during WWII and rose to the rank of captain, as her inspiration.

“Hello Tom. I learned about your story. You are a strong person and a real soldier,” she says, displaying a chestful of medals. “We defeated fascism together in 1945. And now, together, we’re fighting against this virus.”

The efforts by Moore, who became widely known as “Captain Tom," became a worldwide sensation and raised more than 30 million pounds ($37 million) for charities affiliated with Britain’s National Health Service.

And he’s also getting a special gift from Korneva -- she knitted him a pair of socks.

“Let them keep you warm with love from Russia,”she said.

As of Tuesday, Korneva’s campaign had raised over $26,000 in five days and she hopes to accumulate $40,000.