born in mologa in 1924, lobanov contracted meningitis before five years old and was left deaf and mute. in 1937, his family was relocated from their home town of mologa to make way for the construction of the rybinsk reservoir, forcing him to abandon his studies at the school for the deaf he was attending. a very rebellious and aggressive child, and having lost his access to support and rehabilitation, he became increasingly volatile until his family had him confined to a mental asylum in the nearby city of yaroslavl in 1945. during the first years of hospitalization, his violence and aggression remained until he became withdrawn and increasingly solitary.