The official ceremony took place at Pribrezhny Bulvar in Sputnik on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
The new site perpetuates the memory of nine Penza Oblast natives who performed feats on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War and were awarded the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union. The Wall of Honour complements the "Bell of Memory" memorial complex, built by Termodom last year and dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory.
The participants of the solemn event included the descendants of one of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Volkov, as well as representatives of the regional Council of veterans, students of the M. Lermontov School, residents and guests of the Sputnik microdistrict. Addressing the audience, the acting governor stressed the importance of opening a site dedicated to the events of the war of 1941-1945. He noted that 227 Penza Oblast residents received the Gold Star of the Hero for their exploits during the Great Patriotic War.
"It is very important that here, where the microdistrict residents spend their leisure time, there are such memorial sites as the "Bell of Memory" and the Wall of Honour dedicated to the Heroes of the Soviet Union. People will constantly see their photos, names and descriptions of their deeds," Oleg Melnichenko explained.
Heroes of the Soviet Union born in the Penza Oblast are: Vasily Dmitriyevich Borisov, Vasily Sergeyevich Ageyev, Pyotr Petrovich Spirin, Viktor Pavlovich Tikhonov, Pyotr Stepanovich Redchenkov, Mikhail Mikhailovich Osipov, Nikolai Matveyevich Bubnov, Mikhail Prokofievich Volkov and Sergey Ilyich Yermolayev.
The acting head of the region personally thanked the Mikhail Volkov's son Vladimir, for preserving the memory of his legendary ancestor.
It is known that in January 1945, senior sergeant Volkov participated in the liberation of northern Poland and commanded a machine gun crew. During the crossing of the Vistula River, he repelled several enemy counterattacks. He was wounded, but did not leave the battlefield and killed about 50 enemy soldiers and officers. Mikhail Volkov was under 22 years old but he managed to survive, come back home and set up a family.
One of his grandchildren was named after him. His great-grandchildren are growing up. The Hero's son expressed gratitude for the attention to his family and congratulated all those present on the Victory Day.
Flowers were also laid at the "Bell of Memory".
