MRSK Tsentra : IDGC of Centre’s power engineers helped reconstruct a monument to pilots fallen during the war in the Tambov region

In the village of Sofyinka of Umetsky district pf the Tambov region there was a solemn opening of a new monument to pilots of the crew of Il-4 752 of Long-Range Aviation Regiment, who died during the Great Patriotic War on the territory of the region. The monument was made and installed with the money raised by the trade union committee of IDGC of Centre - Tambovenergo division. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Tambov regional branch of the All-Russian Public Movement 'Search Movement of Russia', the district authorities, IDGC of Centre - Tambovenergo division, veterans of the branch, residents of the village.

First sergeant, pilot Ivan Goroshilov and junior sergeant, gunner-radio operator Alexander Smirnov died in the night of 9 to 10 October 1942, returning from a combat mission near Stalingrad: their long-range bomber crashed 15 kilometres south of the city Kirsanov exiting from the clouds in conditions of heavy rain and ten-point cloud amount. After the war, a monument was erected on the site of their death, which over the years became dilapidated and in need of replacement. The initiative to restore it was made by the deputy chief for sale of services of Kirsanovsky Distribution Zone of Tambovenergo Sergey Kolychev, who himself is a former military pilot, for many years in his spare time has been engaged in search activity. He was supported by colleagues.

The power engineers laid a wreath at the monument and natural flowers, commemorating the dead pilots with minute of silence. 'For us it is very important. This is our common contribution to the preservation of the memory of the heroes of the war for future generations,' stressed in her address to the participants of the event the head of the HR management office of Tambovenergo Olga Vyazovova.

Chairman of the Tambov regional branch of the All-Russian Public Movement 'Search Movement of Russia' Elena Valatina handed Sergey Kolychev a letter of thanks for the selfless work to establish the fate of the pilots, who died during the Great Patriotic War on the territory of the Tambov region. 'Preserving the memory of the people, who gave their lives for the independence of their country is a noble and very important job. Your work is an example of a true service to the Motherland,' the document says.

The monument in Sofyinka is not the only example of the participation of employees of the Tambov branch of IDGC of Centre in perpetuating the memory of military aviators. Thanks to the cooperation with the Central Military Archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Tambov regional archives Sergey Kolychev was able to establish the names of more than two pilots, who died during the war in the territory of the Tambov region. Over the past three years on his initiative and with the active support of colleagues of the branch commemorative obelisks were installed in the village of Podvigalovka in Kirsanovsky district and in the military cemetery in the city of Kirsanov.