Hero of the Soviet Union,

Hero of the Soviet Union, sergeant of the Red Army. During the occupation of the Smolensk region by Wehrmacht troops, he joined a partisan detachment. In the army since December 1944. Scout of the 756th Infantry Regiment of the 150th Infantry Division of the 3rd Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. According to the official Soviet version, together with Lieutenant A.P. Berestomi, Junior Sergeant Meliton Kantaria, he hoisted the Banner of Victory on the roof of the Reichstag during the Battle of Berlin. For the accomplished feat, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. He died on June 20, 1975 in a car accident.

Kurylenko Vladimir Timofeevich
December 25, 1924 – May 13, 1942

In July 1941, Komsomol member Vladimir Kurylenko was enrolled as a demolition officer in the partisan detachment of I. R. Shlapakov, who operated on the territory of the former Kasplyansky district of the Smolensk region occupied by the Nazi troops. On the combat account of V.T. Kurylenko 4 enemy echelons derailed, a blown up railway bridge, about 1000 enemy soldiers and officers. On May 13, 1942, when returning from a combat mission, in the village of Salenki, a group of demolitionists was surrounded. V. T. Kurylenko was mortally wounded and died a day later. There is a version that Volodya Kurylenko got into such a situation due to his love. Together with the group, he moved to the village where his girlfriend was. The policemen knew that he would not be able not to go to her, and therefore they warned the German detachment about this. The body was buried in the village of Sloboda. For those short 10 months that V.T. Kurylenko happened to serve in the detachment, he blew up several vehicles, two guns, derailed four enemy echelons with manpower and military equipment.

Lavrinenko Dmitry Fedorovich
October 1 (14), 1914 – December 18, 1941

– Company commander of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade (16th Army, Western Front), Guards Senior Lieutenant. In 1934, he volunteered for the Red Army and was sent to the cavalry. A year later, he entered the Ulyanovsk Armored School, from which he graduated in May 1938. Junior Lieutenant Lavrinenko took part in a campaign in Western Ukraine in 1939, and in June 1940 in a campaign in Bessarabia. Destroyed 15 enemy tanks, four of which were on account of Lavrinenko. By October 11, the brave tankman already had 7 tanks, an anti-tank gun and up to two platoons of German infantry on his account.

Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov
September 20, 1923 – June 7, 1992

Soviet military and statesman, Chief Air Marshal of the USSR, twice Hero of the Soviet Union; during the Great Patriotic War – one of the best Soviet fighter aces. The most productive ace among those who fought on Yak fighters.