A message about any feat of a Russian person. Ordinary people who accomplished a feat

The true abilities, capabilities and character of a person often manifest themselves in emergency situations, in difficult times for the country, society, and people. It is in moments like these that heroes are born. This happens everywhere. The heroes of Russia and their exploits have forever entered the history of the Fatherland, people remember them for many years, and tell them to subsequent generations. Every hero is worthy of respect and honor. Feats are not performed in the name of glory and honor. At the moment of their accomplishment, people do not think about their own benefit; on the contrary, they show courage for the sake of other people or in the name of the Motherland.

Be that as it may, back in the last century our country was called the USSR, and people born in this state do not forget and honor their heroes who had the title of Hero of the USSR. This highest award was established in the Soviet Union in 1934. It was given for special services to the Fatherland. It was made of gold, had the shape of a five-pointed star with the inscription “Hero of the USSR”, and was complemented by a red ribbon 20 mm wide. The star appeared in October 1939, by which time several hundred people had already been awarded this insignia. Along with the star, the Order of Lenin was also awarded.

Who was awarded the star? The person had to accomplish a significant feat for the state. Descriptions of the exploits of the heroes of Russia and the Soviet Union can now be found not only in textbooks and books: the Internet allows you to find out interesting information about each hero of both the last century and the present. Hero of the USSR is an honorary title and award sign of the same name, which some individuals have been awarded several times. But of course there are few of them. Since 1973, when re-awarding, the second Order of Lenin was awarded along with the star. A bust was erected in the hero’s homeland. The first stars were awarded back in 1934 to pilots (there were seven of them) who played a major role in rescuing the icebreaker Chelyuskin, which was trapped in ice.

The appearance of the “Hero of Russia” award

The Soviet Union collapsed, and in the 90s we “moved” to live in a new state. Despite all the political troubles, heroes have always been and are among us. Thus, in 1992, the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation introduced the Law “On Establishing the Title of Hero of Russia.” The award was still the same Golden Star, only now with the inscription “Hero of Russia” and with a ribbon in the form of the Russian tricolor. The award of the title of Hero of the Russian Federation by the President of Russia is carried out only once. A bronze bust is erected in the hero’s homeland.

Modern heroes of Russia and their exploits are known throughout the country. The first to receive this title was S.S. Oskanov, Major General of Aviation. Unfortunately, the title was awarded to him posthumously. On February 7, 1992, during a flight mission, an unexpected situation occurred - equipment failure, and the MIG-29 rapidly fell into a populated area in the Lipetsk region. To avoid tragedy and save human lives, Oskanov diverted the plane to the side, but the pilot himself was unable to escape. The pilot's widow received Gold Star No. 2. The country's leadership decided that Hero No. 1 should be alive. Thus, medal No. 1 was awarded to pilot-cosmonaut S.K. Krikalev. He completed the longest space flight at the Mir orbital station. The list of those awarded the title of Hero is long - these include military personnel, cosmonaut pilots, participants in the Second World War and hot spots, intelligence officers, scientists, and athletes.

Heroes of Russia: list and photos, their exploits

It is impossible to list all the heroes of Russia: at the beginning of 2017, there were 1,042 people (474 ​​people received the title posthumously). Russians remember each of them, honor their exploits, and set them as an example for the younger generation. Bronze busts have been installed in the Homeland of Heroes. Below we list just some of the exploits of the Heroes of Russia.

Sergei Solnechnikov. Everyone has heard and remembers the feat of the major, who saved the lives of young, inexperienced soldiers. This happened in the Amur region. Due to inexperience, an ordinary soldier unsuccessfully threw a grenade; the ammunition ended up on the edge of the parapet that protected the firing position. The soldiers were in real danger. Major Solnechnikov made an instant decision; he pushed the young guy away and covered the grenade with his body. An hour and a half later he died on the operating table. On April 3, 2012, Major Solnechnikov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

North Caucasus

The heroes of Russia showed themselves in battles in the Caucasus, and their exploits should not be forgotten.

Sergey Yashkin - commander of the Perm special forces detachment. In the summer of 2012, special forces deployed in Dagestan in a gorge near the village of Kidero. The task is not to let a gang of militants cross the border. This gang could not be eliminated for several years. The militants were discovered and a battle ensued. Yashkin was shell-shocked during the battle, received burns and wounds, but did not leave his post until the end of the operation. He himself personally destroyed three of the five militants. For courage and heroism, on June 14, 2013, he was awarded the title Hero of Russia. Currently lives in Perm.

Mikhail Minenkov. Served in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation since 1994. In 1999 he fought in Dagestan against the gangs of Khattab and Basayev. He commanded a reconnaissance group and inflicted significant damage on the militants while carrying out important missions. Already in Chechnya in the same 1999, returning from a reconnaissance mission from the village of Shcheglovskaya, he received an order to help out a group of special forces surrounded by militants. The battle was difficult, many guys were injured. The commander himself was seriously wounded in the leg, but continued to command the detachment and remove wounded soldiers. The Airborne Forces groups successfully escaped the encirclement. Minenkov was carried out from the battlefield by his comrades. At the hospital, the leg was amputated. But Mikhail survived and even returned to his regiment, where he continued to serve. For heroism, on January 17, 2000, he was awarded the title Hero of Russia.

Heroes of Russia 2016

• Oleg Artemyev - test cosmonaut.
• Elena Serova is a female cosmonaut.
• Vadim Baykulov is a military man.
• Alexander Dvornikov - commander of the Armed Forces group in Syria until July 2016, now - Russian military leader, commander of the troops of the Southern Military District.
• Andrey Dyachenko - pilot, participant in the operation in Syria.
• Viktor Romanov is a military navigator, a participant in the operation in Syria.
• Alexander Prokhorenko. All heroes of Russia who posthumously received the title have a special place. In a peaceful life, they left their parents, families and gave their lives for the ideas of the Motherland. Alexander died during the battles in Syria for Palmyra. Surrounded by militants, the soldier, not wanting to surrender, took the fire on himself, died heroically, and the militants were also destroyed.
• Dmitry Bulgakov - Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.
• Valery Gerasimov - Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
• Igor Sergun is a military intelligence officer. The title was awarded posthumously.
• Marat Akhmetshin is a participant in combat operations in Syria. He died in the battle for Palmyra.
• Ryafagat Khabibullin is a military pilot. He died in Syria, the plane was shot down in militant territory.
• Alexander Misurkin - test cosmonaut.
• Anatoly Gorshkov - Major General, WWII participant.
• Alexander Zhuravlev is the head of the military operation in Syria.
• Magomed Nurbagandov is an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He received the title of Hero posthumously. Died at the hands of militants.
• Andrey Karlov - Ambassador to Turkey. Died at the hands of a terrorist.

Women heroes of Russia

Below are the female Heroes of Russia. The list and their exploits only briefly introduce the heroic representatives of the fairer sex. Since 1992, 17 women have received the honorary title.

• Marina Plotnikova is a young girl who saved three drowning children at the cost of her own life.
• Ekaterina Budanova - pilot, WWII participant.
• Lydia Shulaikina is a pilot in naval aviation. WWII participant.
• Alexandra Akimova - pilot. WWII participant.
• Vera Voloshina - Soviet partisan. WWII participant.
• Lyubov Egorova is a 6-time Olympic champion. Skier.
• Elena Kondakova - pilot-cosmonaut.
• Valentina Savitskaya - pilot. WWII participant.
• Tatyana Sumarokova - pilot. WWII participant.
• Leontina Cohen - Soviet intelligence officer. WWII participant.
• Natalya Kochuevskaya - medical instructor. WWII participant.
• Larisa Lazutina - skier, 5-time Olympic champion.
• Irina Yanina is a nurse. She died during the Second Chechen War. She saved the soldiers at the cost of her life.
• Marem Arapkhanova - died at the hands of militants, defending her family and her village.
• Nina Brusnikova is a milkmaid at the Aurora collective farm. Saved a livestock complex during a fire.
• Alime Abdenanova - Soviet intelligence officer. WWII participant.
• Elena Serova - cosmonaut.

Children-heroes of Russia and their exploits

Russia is a great power, rich in heroes not only among adults. Children in emergency situations show heroism without hesitation. Of course, not everyone has the title of Hero of Russia. In addition to this badge, the country awards heroes with Orders of Courage, as well as medals “For saving the dead.” Among us there are such heroes of Russia of our time, and their exploits are known and honored in the country. Someone deserved the award posthumously.

• Zhenya Tabakov is a hero of Russia. Died at the age of 7 years. Saved his sister Yana when a robber broke into the house. Yana managed to escape, but Zhenya received eight stab wounds from which he died.
• Danil Sadykov. A 12-year-old teenager saved a boy who fell into a fountain and received an electric shock. Danil was not afraid, he rushed after him, managed to pull him out, but he himself received a powerful shock, which is why he died.
• Vasily Zhirkov and Alexander Maltsev. Teenagers who received awards for saving the dead - a drowning grandmother and her eight-year-old grandson.
• Sergey Krivov is an 11-year-old boy. Rescued a drowning friend from the waters of the icy Amur.
• Alexander Petchenko. During the accident, the boy did not leave his mother and pulled her out of the burning car.
• Artem Artyukhin. Risking his life, he rescued a 12-year-old girl from the eighth floor during a fire.

What categories of citizens were awarded the award?

The title of Hero of Russia was awarded to:

• participants in hostilities in the North Caucasus;
• WWII participants;
• test pilots;
• persons who have distinguished themselves in the fight against terrorism;
• astronauts;
• military sailors, submariners;
• participants in the 1993 events in Moscow;
• people who saved the lives of others;
• participants of hostilities in Ossetia;
• participants of hostilities in Tajikistan;
• senior officials of ministries and departments;
• designers of the Armed Forces;
• scouts;
• participants of the war in Afghanistan;
• athletes, travelers;
• liquidators of the Chernobyl accident;
• participants of Arctic expeditions;
• participants of the operation in Abkhazia4
• civil aviation pilots;
• ambassadors;
• participants in the fighting in Syria.

Titles of heroes at the time the award was awarded

Not only military personnel, but also ordinary citizens join the “Heroes of Russia” list. Photos and their exploits are published and described in books, magazines, and many presentations on this topic are posted on the Internet. The title of Hero was indicated at the time the President signed the Decree on the award; for civilians, the civilian rank is designated. Who is awarded the title of hero, in what categories? There are many of them: privates, sailors, corporals, sergeants, junior sergeants, senior sergeants, warrant officers, foremen, midshipmen, lieutenants, junior and senior lieutenants, lieutenant colonels, colonels, captains, major generals, lieutenant generals, rear admirals, vice admirals, army generals, and civilians. The only marshal in Russia, Igor Sergeev, also has the “Hero of Russia” star.

People are heroes of two countries

There are individuals in our country who have been awarded two titles - Heroes of the USSR and Heroes of Russia. The list and photos of their exploits cannot be contained in one article. We list only the most famous:

• Mikhail Kalashnikov - gunsmith and designer. He also has the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.
• Cosmonaut pilots V.V. Polyakov and S.K. Krikalev, helicopter pilot Maidanov - Heroes of the Russian Federation and Heroes of the USSR.
• A. N. Chilingarov - polar explorer, Hero of the Russian Federation and Hero of the USSR.
• T. A. Musabaev, Yu. I. Malenchenko - cosmonauts. People's Heroes of Kazakhstan and Heroes of Russia.
• S. Sh. Sharpov - cosmonaut. Hero of Kyrgyzstan and Hero of Russia.
• V. A. Wolf - sergeant of the Airborne Forces. Hero of Russia and Hero of Abkhazia.

As of January 2017, 1,042 people were awarded the Hero of Russia star. 474 from this list received the award posthumously. Usually, lists of Heroes and most Decrees are not officially published. Information about heroes may be scattered and contradict each other, but we all remember their exploits and collect information piece by piece.

Privileges

The heroes of Russia and their exploits are of special importance to the state. Those who have this honorary title have a number of benefits that they have the right to enjoy without limit:

• Monthly pension.
• Free medical care.
• Exemption from state duties and taxes.
• 50% discount on tickets for any type of transport (once a year) in both directions.
• 30% discount on utilities.
• Free travel on public transport.
• Free education for children.
• Once a year, a trip to a sanatorium.
• Free home repairs.
• Free home phone.
• Out-of-turn service in medical organizations.
• Improving living conditions
• Free funeral with honors.

Heroes of the Great Patriotic War

Submachine gunner of the 2nd separate battalion of the 91st separate Siberian volunteer brigade named after Stalin.

Sasha Matrosov did not know his parents. He was brought up in an orphanage and a labor colony. When the war began, he was not even 20. Matrosov was drafted into the army in September 1942 and sent to the infantry school, and then to the front.

In February 1943, his battalion attacked a Nazi stronghold, but fell into a trap, coming under heavy fire, cutting off the path to the trenches. They fired from three bunkers. Two soon fell silent, but the third continued to shoot the Red Army soldiers lying in the snow.

Seeing that the only chance to get out of the fire was to suppress the enemy’s fire, Sailors and a fellow soldier crawled to the bunker and threw two grenades in his direction. The machine gun fell silent. The Red Army soldiers went on the attack, but the deadly weapon began to chatter again. Alexander’s partner was killed, and Sailors was left alone in front of the bunker. Something had to be done.

He didn't have even a few seconds to make a decision. Not wanting to let his comrades down, Alexander closed the bunker embrasure with his body. The attack was a success. And Matrosov posthumously received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Military pilot, commander of the 2nd squadron of the 207th long-range bomber aviation regiment, captain.

He worked as a mechanic, then in 1932 he was drafted into the Red Army. He ended up in an air regiment, where he became a pilot. Nikolai Gastello participated in three wars. A year before the Great Patriotic War, he received the rank of captain.

On June 26, 1941, the crew under the command of Captain Gastello took off to strike a German mechanized column. It happened on the road between the Belarusian cities of Molodechno and Radoshkovichi. But the column was well guarded by enemy artillery. A fight ensued. Gastello's plane was hit by anti-aircraft guns. The shell damaged the fuel tank and the car caught fire. The pilot could have ejected, but he decided to fulfill his military duty to the end. Nikolai Gastello directed the burning car directly at the enemy column. This was the first fire ram in the Great Patriotic War.

The name of the brave pilot became a household name. Until the end of the war, all aces who decided to ram were called Gastellites. If you follow official statistics, then during the entire war there were almost six hundred ramming attacks on the enemy.

Brigade reconnaissance officer of the 67th detachment of the 4th Leningrad partisan brigade.

Lena was 15 years old when the war began. He was already working at a factory, having completed seven years of school. When the Nazis captured his native Novgorod region, Lenya joined the partisans.

He was brave and decisive, the command valued him. Over the several years spent in the partisan detachment, he participated in 27 operations. He was responsible for several destroyed bridges behind enemy lines, 78 Germans killed, and 10 trains with ammunition.

It was he who, in the summer of 1942, near the village of Varnitsa, blew up a car in which was the German Major General of the Engineering Troops Richard von Wirtz. Golikov managed to obtain important documents about the German offensive. The enemy attack was thwarted, and the young hero was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for this feat.

In the winter of 1943, a significantly superior enemy detachment unexpectedly attacked the partisans near the village of Ostray Luka. Lenya Golikov died like a real hero - in battle.

Pioneer. Scout of the Voroshilov partisan detachment in the territory occupied by the Nazis.

Zina was born and went to school in Leningrad. However, the war found her on the territory of Belarus, where she came on vacation.

In 1942, 16-year-old Zina joined the underground organization “Young Avengers”. She distributed anti-fascist leaflets in the occupied territories. Then, undercover, she got a job in a canteen for German officers, where she committed several acts of sabotage and was only miraculously not captured by the enemy. Many experienced military men were surprised at her courage.

In 1943, Zina Portnova joined the partisans and continued to engage in sabotage behind enemy lines. Due to the efforts of defectors who surrendered Zina to the Nazis, she was captured. She was interrogated and tortured in the dungeons. But Zina remained silent, not betraying her own. During one of these interrogations, she grabbed a pistol from the table and shot three Nazis. After that she was shot in prison.

An underground anti-fascist organization operating in the area of ​​modern Lugansk region. There were more than a hundred people. The youngest participant was 14 years old.

This underground youth organization was formed immediately after the occupation of the Lugansk region. It included both regular military personnel who found themselves cut off from the main units, and local youth. Among the most famous participants: Oleg Koshevoy, Ulyana Gromova, Lyubov Shevtsova, Vasily Levashov, Sergey Tyulenin and many other young people.

The Young Guard issued leaflets and committed sabotage against the Nazis. Once they managed to disable an entire tank repair workshop and burn down the stock exchange, from where the Nazis were driving people away for forced labor in Germany. Members of the organization planned to stage an uprising, but were discovered due to traitors. The Nazis captured, tortured and shot more than seventy people. Their feat is immortalized in one of the most famous military books by Alexander Fadeev and the film adaptation of the same name.

28 people from the personnel of the 4th company of the 2nd battalion of the 1075th rifle regiment.

In November 1941, a counter-offensive against Moscow began. The enemy stopped at nothing, making a decisive forced march before the onset of a harsh winter.

At this time, fighters under the command of Ivan Panfilov took up a position on the highway seven kilometers from Volokolamsk, a small town near Moscow. There they gave battle to the advancing tank units. The battle lasted four hours. During this time, they destroyed 18 armored vehicles, delaying the enemy's attack and thwarting his plans. All 28 people (or almost all, historians’ opinions differ here) died.

According to legend, the company political instructor Vasily Klochkov, before the decisive stage of the battle, addressed the soldiers with a phrase that became known throughout the country: “Russia is great, but there is nowhere to retreat - Moscow is behind us!”

The Nazi counteroffensive ultimately failed. The Battle of Moscow, which was assigned the most important role during the war, was lost by the occupiers.

As a child, the future hero suffered from rheumatism, and doctors doubted that Maresyev would be able to fly. However, he stubbornly applied to the flight school until he was finally enrolled. Maresyev was drafted into the army in 1937.

He met the Great Patriotic War at a flight school, but soon found himself at the front. During a combat mission, his plane was shot down, and Maresyev himself was able to eject. Eighteen days later, seriously wounded in both legs, he got out of the encirclement. However, he still managed to overcome the front line and ended up in the hospital. But gangrene had already set in, and doctors amputated both of his legs.

For many, this would have meant the end of their service, but the pilot did not give up and returned to aviation. Until the end of the war he flew with prosthetics. Over the years, he made 86 combat missions and shot down 11 enemy aircraft. Moreover, 7 - after amputation. In 1944, Alexey Maresyev went to work as an inspector and lived to be 84 years old.

His fate inspired the writer Boris Polevoy to write “The Tale of a Real Man.”

Deputy squadron commander of the 177th Air Defense Fighter Aviation Regiment.

Viktor Talalikhin began to fight already in the Soviet-Finnish war. He shot down 4 enemy planes in a biplane. Then he served at an aviation school.

In August 1941, he was one of the first Soviet pilots to ram, shooting down a German bomber in a night air battle. Moreover, the wounded pilot was able to get out of the cockpit and parachute down to the rear to his own.

Talalikhin then shot down five more German aircraft. He died during another air battle near Podolsk in October 1941.

73 years later, in 2014, search engines found Talalikhin’s plane, which remained in the swamps near Moscow.

Artilleryman of the 3rd counter-battery artillery corps of the Leningrad Front.

Soldier Andrei Korzun was drafted into the army at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War. He served on the Leningrad Front, where there were fierce and bloody battles.

On November 5, 1943, during another battle, his battery came under fierce enemy fire. Korzun was seriously injured. Despite the terrible pain, he saw that the powder charges were set on fire and the ammunition depot could fly into the air. Gathering his last strength, Andrei crawled to the blazing fire. But he could no longer take off his overcoat to cover the fire. Losing consciousness, he made a final effort and covered the fire with his body. The explosion was avoided at the cost of the life of the brave artilleryman.

Commander of the 3rd Leningrad Partisan Brigade.

A native of Petrograd, Alexander German, according to some sources, was a native of Germany. He served in the army since 1933. When the war started, I joined the scouts. He worked behind enemy lines, commanded a partisan detachment that terrified enemy soldiers. His brigade destroyed several thousand fascist soldiers and officers, derailed hundreds of trains and blew up hundreds of cars.

The Nazis staged a real hunt for Herman. In 1943, his partisan detachment was surrounded in the Pskov region. Making his way to his own, the brave commander died from an enemy bullet.

Commander of the 30th Separate Guards Tank Brigade of the Leningrad Front

Vladislav Khrustitsky was drafted into the Red Army back in the 20s. At the end of the 30s he completed armored courses. Since the fall of 1942, he commanded the 61st separate light tank brigade.

He distinguished himself during Operation Iskra, which marked the beginning of the defeat of the Germans on the Leningrad Front.

Killed in the battle near Volosovo. In 1944, the enemy retreated from Leningrad, but from time to time they attempted to counterattack. During one of these counterattacks, Khrustitsky's tank brigade fell into a trap.

Despite heavy fire, the commander ordered the offensive to continue. He radioed to his crews with the words: “Fight to the death!” - and went forward first. Unfortunately, the brave tanker died in this battle. And yet the village of Volosovo was liberated from the enemy.

Commander of a partisan detachment and brigade.

Before the war he worked on the railway. In October 1941, when the Germans were already near Moscow, he himself volunteered for a complex operation in which his railway experience was needed. Was thrown behind enemy lines. There he came up with the so-called “coal mines” (in fact, these are just mines disguised as coal). With the help of this simple but effective weapon, hundreds of enemy trains were blown up in three months.

Zaslonov actively agitated the local population to go over to the side of the partisans. The Nazis, realizing this, dressed their soldiers in Soviet uniforms. Zaslonov mistook them for defectors and ordered them to join the partisan detachment. The way was open for the insidious enemy. A battle ensued, during which Zaslonov died. A reward was announced for Zaslonov, alive or dead, but the peasants hid his body, and the Germans did not get it.

Commander of a small partisan detachment.

Efim Osipenko fought during the Civil War. Therefore, when the enemy captured his land, without thinking twice, he joined the partisans. Together with five other comrades, he organized a small partisan detachment that committed sabotage against the Nazis.

During one of the operations, it was decided to undermine the enemy personnel. But the detachment had little ammunition. The bomb was made from an ordinary grenade. Osipenko himself had to install the explosives. He crawled to the railway bridge and, seeing the train approaching, threw it in front of the train. There was no explosion. Then the partisan himself hit the grenade with a pole from a railway sign. It worked! A long train with food and tanks went downhill. The detachment commander survived, but completely lost his sight.

For this feat, he was the first in the country to be awarded the “Partisan of the Patriotic War” medal.

Peasant Matvey Kuzmin was born three years before the abolition of serfdom. And he died, becoming the oldest holder of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

His story contains many references to the story of another famous peasant - Ivan Susanin. Matvey also had to lead the invaders through the forest and swamps. And, like the legendary hero, he decided to stop the enemy at the cost of his life. He sent his grandson ahead to warn a detachment of partisans who had stopped nearby. The Nazis were ambushed. A fight ensued. Matvey Kuzmin died at the hands of a German officer. But he did his job. He was 84 years old.

A partisan who was part of a sabotage and reconnaissance group at the headquarters of the Western Front.

While studying at school, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya wanted to enter a literary institute. But these plans were not destined to come true - the war interfered. In October 1941, Zoya came to the recruiting station as a volunteer and, after a short training at a school for saboteurs, was transferred to Volokolamsk. There, an 18-year-old partisan fighter, along with adult men, performed dangerous tasks: mined roads and destroyed communication centers.

During one of the sabotage operations, Kosmodemyanskaya was caught by the Germans. She was tortured, forcing her to give up her own people. Zoya heroically endured all the trials without saying a word to her enemies. Seeing that it was impossible to achieve anything from the young partisan, they decided to hang her.

Kosmodemyanskaya bravely accepted the tests. Moments before her death, she shouted to the assembled locals: “Comrades, victory will be ours. German soldiers, before it’s too late, surrender!” The girl’s courage shocked the peasants so much that they later retold this story to front-line correspondents. And after publication in the newspaper Pravda, the whole country learned about Kosmodemyanskaya’s feat. She became the first woman to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War.

Heroes of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and their exploits

The fighting has long since died down. Veterans are leaving one by one. But the heroes of the Second World War of 1941-1945 and their exploits will forever remain in the memory of grateful descendants. This article will tell you about the most prominent personalities of those years and their immortal deeds. Some were still very young, while others were no longer young. Each of the heroes has their own character and their own destiny. But all of them were united by love for the Motherland and a willingness to sacrifice themselves for its good.

Alexander Matrosov

Orphanage student Sasha Matrosov went to war at the age of 18. Immediately after the infantry school he was sent to the front. February 1943 turned out to be “hot”. Alexander’s battalion went on the attack, and at some point the guy, along with several comrades, was surrounded. There was no way to break through to our own people - the enemy machine guns were firing too densely.

Soon Sailors was the only one left alive. His comrades died under bullets. The young man had only a few seconds to make a decision. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the last in his life. Wanting to bring at least some benefit to his native battalion, Alexander Matrosov rushed to the embrasure, covering it with his body. The fire went silent. The Red Army attack was ultimately successful - the Nazis retreated. And Sasha went to heaven as a young and handsome 19-year-old guy...

Marat Kazei

When the Great Patriotic War began, Marat Kazei was only twelve. He lived in the village of Stankovo ​​with his sister and parents. In 1941 he found himself under occupation. Marat's mother helped the partisans, providing them with her shelter and feeding them. One day the Germans found out about this and shot the woman. Left alone, the children, without hesitation, went into the forest and joined the partisans.

Marat, who managed to complete only four classes before the war, helped his older comrades as best he could. He was even taken on reconnaissance missions; and he also took part in undermining German trains. In 1943, the boy was awarded the medal “For Courage” for the heroism shown during the breakthrough of the encirclement. The boy was wounded in that terrible battle.

And in 1944, Kazei was returning from reconnaissance with an adult partisan. The Germans noticed them and began to fire. The senior comrade died. Marat fired back to the last bullet. And when he had only one grenade left, the teenager let the Germans get closer and blew himself up along with them. He was 15 years old.

Alexey Maresyev

The name of this man is known to every resident of the former Soviet Union. After all, we are talking about a legendary pilot. Alexey Maresyev was born in 1916 and dreamed of the sky since childhood. Even the rheumatism suffered did not become an obstacle to my dream. Despite the doctors' prohibitions, Alexey entered the flying class - they accepted him after several futile attempts.

In 1941, the stubborn young man went to the front. The sky turned out to be not what he dreamed of. But it was necessary to defend the Motherland, and Maresyev did everything for this. One day his plane was shot down. Wounded in both legs, Alexey managed to land the car in territory captured by the Germans and even somehow made his way to his own.

But time was lost. The legs were “devoured” by gangrene, and they had to be amputated. Where can a soldier go without both limbs? After all, she’s completely crippled... But Alexey Maresyev was not one of those. He remained in service and continued to fight the enemy.

As many as 86 times the winged machine with the hero on board managed to take to the sky. Maresyev shot down 11 German planes. The pilot was lucky to survive that terrible war and feel the heady taste of victory. He died in 2001. “The Tale of a Real Man” by Boris Polevoy is a work about him. It was Maresyev’s feat that inspired the author to write it.

Zinaida Portnova

Born in 1926, Zina Portnova faced the war as a teenager. At that time, the native Leningrad resident was visiting relatives in Belarus. Once in the occupied territory, she did not sit on the sidelines, but joined the partisan movement. I pasted leaflets, established contacts with the underground...

In 1943, the Germans grabbed the girl and dragged her to their lair. During the interrogation, Zina somehow managed to take a pistol from the table. She shot her tormentors - two soldiers and an investigator.

It was a heroic act, which made the Germans' attitude towards Zina even more brutal. It is impossible to convey in words the torment that the girl experienced during the terrible torture. But she was silent. The Nazis could not squeeze a word out of her. As a result, the Germans shot their captive without achieving anything from the heroine Zina Portnova.

Andrey Korzun

Andrei Korzun turned thirty in 1941. He was called to the front immediately, being sent to become an artilleryman. Korzun took part in terrible battles near Leningrad, during one of which he was seriously wounded. It was November 5, 1943.

While falling, Korzun noticed that the ammunition warehouse had started to catch fire. It was urgent to put out the fire, otherwise a huge explosion threatened to take many lives. Somehow, bleeding and suffering from pain, the artilleryman crawled to the warehouse. The artilleryman had no strength left to take off his overcoat and throw it into the flames. Then he covered the fire with his body. There was no explosion. Andrei Korzun did not survive.

Leonid Golikov

Another young hero is Lenya Golikov. Born in 1926. Lived in the Novgorod region. When the war began, he left to become a partisan. This teenager had plenty of courage and determination. Leonid destroyed 78 fascists, a dozen enemy trains and even a couple of bridges.

The explosion that went down in history and carried away the German general Richard von Wirtz was his doing. The car of an important rank went up in the air, and Golikov took possession of valuable documents, for which he received the Hero’s star.

The brave partisan died in 1943 near the village of Ostray Luka during a German attack. The enemy significantly outnumbered our fighters, and they had no chance. Golikov fought until his last breath.

These are just six stories out of a great many that permeate the entire war. Everyone who has completed it, who has brought victory even one moment closer, is already a hero. Thanks to people like Maresyev, Golikov, Korzun, Matrosov, Kazei, Portnova and millions of other Soviet soldiers, the world got rid of the brown plague of the 20th century. And the reward for their exploits was eternal life!

Almost every day in our lives there is a place for heroism. Most often they are committed by military personnel, rescuers, and police officers. To whom it is due due to duty. But they are not the only ones who risk their lives to save others.

You often hear grumbling about the topic: the people have become smaller, the people are completely different, there are no men left at all. Well, then everything, as the classic wrote: “yes, there were people in our time...” Since the time of Lermontov, little has changed: “You are not heroes...”, other accusations against these modern handsome young men in tapered trousers and young men in stylish jackets on shiny cars. Looking fashionable and even glamorous. And looking at them, one can really doubt: why should they become heroes? They have more perfumes and cosmetics than any beauty. And, unfortunately, we will be wrong in our doubts.

Why "Unfortunately? Yes, because we really want there to be no room for heroic deeds in our lives. Because heroic deeds often have to be performed by one, because of the negligence and carelessness of others.

This, however, does not make the surprise and admiration for modern heroes any less. Just as there are no fewer heroes themselves who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. Here are the most striking examples of this.

1. A real colonel

This is the biggest story right now. In the Urals, the colonel covered with himself a grenade that a soldier accidentally dropped. This happened in military unit 3275 in the city of Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk region, during an exercise on September 25. The sergeant, apparently, was confused or lost in thought; there is even talk that the day before he played computer games all night and did not get enough sleep, so he did not hold the grenade with the pin pulled out. She rolled on the ground. The soldiers froze in horror. In general, you can imagine these terrible moments. Only the unit commander, 41-year-old Colonel Serik Sultangabiev, was not at a loss. Without hesitation for a second, he rushed to RGD-5. And the next moment there was an explosion.

Fortunately, none of the soldiers were injured. The colonel was urgently taken to the hospital, where medical teams operated on Serik Sultangabiev for 8 hours straight. As a result, the officer lost his left eye and two fingers on his right hand. The bulletproof vest saved his life.

Now Colonel Serik Sultangabiev has been presented with the Order of Courage. The documents necessary for this have already been sent to Moscow by the Ural command of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

2. Solnechnikov’s feat

Of course, when talking today about Sultangabiev’s feat, he is immediately compared with the feat of another officer - Sergei Solnechnikov. Major from the city of Belogorsk, Amur Region. Became a Hero of Russia posthumously. He also covered a grenade that one of his soldiers dropped during a training exercise. An explosion occurred and the officer received numerous injuries. An hour and a half later, he died on the operating table of a military hospital. The wounds turned out to be incompatible with life. So the major, at the cost of his own life, saved hundreds of his subordinates. I did it without hesitation. Last August he would have turned only 34 years old. In honor of Major Sergei Solnechnikov, both in his hometown of Volzhsk and in Belogorsk, where he served, monuments are erected and streets are named in his honor.

3. Saved 300 people

Another hero, who was remembered at the end of September in his native Buryatia and talked about raising funds for the construction of a monument in his honor, has not yet received such an honor. Aldar Tsydenzhapov, a sailor of the Russian Pacific Fleet, died in the fall of 2010 while serving on the destroyer Bystry. Aldar, at the cost of his life, prevented a major accident on a warship, saving the ship itself and 300 crew members from death. The 19-year-old guy received the title of Hero posthumously...

4. A ship in honor of a hero

And in the Irkutsk region, at the end of September, a ship named after the hero-rescuer: “Vitaly Tikhonov” was launched. The completely restored ship was named in honor of the tragically deceased deputy head of the Baikal search and rescue team. Vitaly Vladimirovich died during training camps. He spent 25 years rescuing people, participated in more than 500 search operations, and saved more than 200 people. It was not possible to save him...

These feats can hardly be forgotten. Although people, it would seem, died while serving, which in general itself is associated with all sorts of risks. But in everyday life we ​​are lucky to have heroes.

5. Hollywood is taking a break

The other day, the head of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Kaluga Region, Sergei Bachurin, presented traffic police inspector Evgeniy Vorobyov with a valuable gift and thanked his mother Valentina Semyonovna.

Evgenia Vorobyov will also be awarded by the Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev. A corresponding submission to the minister has already been prepared. How did Vorobyov distinguish himself? On the birthday of his hometown of Kaluga, Evgeny Vorobyov managed to stop a car that was rushing at high speed straight towards a column of carnival procession participants walking along the central street. The policeman managed to jump into the car at full speed and press the brake. The car dragged the policeman along the asphalt for several meters and stopped literally a few centimeters from the people. After that, the policeman pulled the drunk driver out of the car and tied him up. Agree, such scenes can only be seen in Hollywood action films, and all the stunts are performed by well-trained stuntmen. Meanwhile, this was done by a simple traffic police officer.

6. In honor of a fellow countryman and a real Cossack

These days, people in the Volgograd region are remembering their heroic fellow countryman. At the end of September, a monument to the Cossack Ruslan Kazakov was erected on the Nagolny farm, Kotelnikovsky district, Volgograd region. He himself voluntarily went to Simferopol to ensure order during the referendum on the status of Crimea, to ensure order there.

Kazakov served as part of a local Cossack self-defense unit. On March 18, he was patrolling the territory of a military unit. At that moment, his young colleague, an 18-year-old guy, was shot in the leg by a sniper. Seeing that the younger comrade had fallen, Ruslan Kazakov rushed to him and covered him with his body. And he was immediately killed by the next shot. Posthumously Ruslan Kazakov was awarded the Order of Courage. A monument was erected in his honor in his homeland.

7. Hero-traffic cop

A traffic police officer from Saratov, risking his life, blocked the path of an out-of-control truck.

Police lieutenant, traffic police regiment inspector for Saratov Daniil Sultanov stood at the intersection. The prohibitory traffic light came on. And suddenly Daniil saw an out-of-control truck rushing down the road, hitting cars and unable to stop on its own. Then Daniel blocked his way with his car and thus stopped the speeding truck, which was sweeping away everything in its path. Daniel was able to save a dozen lives. The traffic police inspector himself escaped with a concussion.

In total, 12 cars and 4 people were injured in the accident. The incident could have ended in a terrible tragedy if not for the heroism of Daniil Sultanov.

No one in the country keeps special statistics, but if there were, it would probably become clear how many people, thanks to heroes, continue to live. Someone was rescued from a fire, someone was pulled out of a pond. These people always come to help themselves, they are not called, they are not asked for it. And not only in our country. Recently in Saratov, father and son Osherov, both named Sergei, and Alexander Dubrovin were awarded. While on vacation in Israel, three residents of Saratov saved a drowning mother and child and a woman. For which they were awarded medals. If not for them, mother and son would have died.

These are our contemporaries. And no matter how much psychologists tell us that sacrificing oneself for the sake of others is not right. That you need to live solely for your own sake, there are those for whom this rule is simply unacceptable. And they, without hesitation, cover the other...

Photo at the opening of the article: Residents of the city of Volzhsky before the farewell ceremony for Major Sergei Solnechnikov - Hero of Russia / Photo RIA Novosti / Kirill Braga.

Imagine trying to save a blind man from a burning building, walking step by step through searing flames and smoke. Now imagine that you are blind too. Jim Sherman, born blind, heard his 85-year-old neighbor's cries for help when she was trapped in her burning house. He found his way, moving along the fence. Once he got to the woman's house, he somehow managed to get inside and find his neighbor Annie Smith, who was also blind. Sherman pulled Smith from the fire and took her to safety.

Skydiving instructors sacrificed everything to save their students

Few people will survive a fall of several hundred meters. But two women did it thanks to the dedication of two men. The first gave his life to save a man whom he saw for the first time in his life.

Skydiving instructor Robert Cook and his student Kimberley Dear were about to make their first jump when the plane's engine failed. Cook told the girl to sit on his lap and tied their belts together. As the plane crashed to the ground, Cook's body bore the brunt of the impact, killing the man but leaving Kimberly alive.

Another skydiving instructor, Dave Hartstock, also saved his student from being hit. This was Shirley Dygert's first jump, and she jumped with an instructor. Diegert's parachute did not open. During the fall, Hartstock managed to get under the girl, softening the blow to the ground. Dave Hartstock injured his spine, the injury paralyzed his body from the neck down, but both survived.

Mere mortal Joe Rollino (pictured above) performed incredible, inhuman things during his 104-year life. Although he only weighed about 68 kg, in his prime he could lift 288 kg with his fingers and 1,450 kg with his back, for which he won various competitions several times. However, it wasn't the title of "The World's Strongest Man" that made him a hero.

During World War II, Rollino served in the Pacific and received a Bronze and Silver Star for bravery in the line of duty, as well as three Purple Hearts for battle wounds that left him in the hospital for a total of 2 years. He carried away 4 of his comrades from the battlefield, two in each hand, and also returned to the thick of the battle for the rest.

Fatherly love can inspire superhuman feats, and this was proven by two fathers on opposite sides of the world.

In Florida, Joeph Welch came to the aid of his six-year-old son when an alligator grabbed the boy's arm. Forgetting about his own safety, Welch hit the alligator, trying to force it to open its mouth. Then a passerby arrived and began punching the alligator in the stomach until the animal finally let go of the boy.

In Mutoko, Zimbabwe, another father saved his son from a crocodile when it attacked him in a river. Father Tafadzwa Kacher began poking reeds into the animal's eyes and mouth until his son ran away. Then the crocodile targeted the man. Tafadzwa had to gouge out the animal's eyes. The boy lost his leg in the attack, but he will be able to tell of his father's superhuman bravery.

Two ordinary women lifted cars to save loved ones

Not only men are capable of demonstrating superhuman abilities in critical situations. The daughter and mother showed that women can be heroes too, especially when a loved one is in danger.

In Virginia, a 22-year-old girl saved her father when the jack slipped from under the BMW he was working under and the car fell onto the man's chest. There was no time to wait for help, the young woman lifted the car and moved it, then performed artificial respiration on her father.

In Georgia, a jack also slipped and a 1,350-pound Chevrolet Impala fell on a young man. Without help, his mother Angela Cavallo lifted the car and held it for five minutes until neighbors pulled her son out.

Superhuman abilities are not only strength and courage, but also the ability to think quickly and act in an emergency.

In New Mexico, a school bus driver suffered a seizure, putting children in danger. A girl waiting for the bus noticed that something had happened to the driver and called her mother. The woman, Rhonda Carlsen, immediately took action. She ran next to the bus and, using gestures, asked one of the children to open the door. After that, she jumped inside, grabbed the steering wheel and stopped the bus. Thanks to her quick reaction, none of the schoolchildren were injured, not to mention people passing by.

A truck and trailer drove along the edge of a cliff in the dead of night. The cab of a large truck stopped right above the cliff, with the driver inside. A young man came to the rescue, he broke the window and pulled the man out with his bare hands.

This happened in New Zealand in the Waioeka Gorge on October 5, 2008. The hero was 18-year-old Peter Hanne, who was at home when he heard the crash. Without thinking about his own safety, he climbed onto the balancing car, jumped into the narrow gap between the cab and the trailer, and broke the rear window. He carefully helped the injured driver out as the truck swayed under his feet.

In 2011, Hanne was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal for this heroic act.

War is full of heroes who risk their lives to save their fellow soldiers. In the movie Forrest Gump, we saw how the fictional character saved several of his fellow soldiers, even after he was wounded. In real life, you can find a more abrupt plot.

Take, for example, the story of Robert Ingram, who received the Medal of Honor. In 1966, during an enemy siege, Ingram continued to fight and save his comrades even after he was shot three times: in the head (which left him partially blind and deaf in one ear), in the arm, and in the left knee. Despite his wounds, he continued to kill North Vietnamese soldiers who attacked his unit.

Aquaman is nothing compared to Shavarsh Karapetyan, who saved 20 people from a sinking bus in 1976.

The Armenian speed swimming champion was jogging with his brother when a bus with 92 passengers left the road and fell into the water 24 meters from the shore. Karapetyan dived, kicked out a window and began to pull out people who were by that time in cold water at a depth of 10 m. They say that it took 30 seconds for each person he saved, he saved one after another until he lost consciousness in the cold and dark water . As a result, 20 people survived.

But Karapetyan’s exploits did not end there. Eight years later, he saved several people from a burning building, suffering severe burns in the process. Karapetyan received the Order of the USSR Badge of Honor and several other awards for underwater rescue. But he himself claimed that he was not a hero at all, he simply did what he had to do.

A man takes off a helicopter to save his colleague

The TV show's set became the site of a tragedy when a helicopter from the hit series Magnum PI crashed into a drainage ditch in 1988.

During landing, the helicopter suddenly tilted, went out of control and fell to the ground, while the whole thing was captured on film. One of the pilots, Steve Kux, was pinned under the helicopter in shallow water. And then Warren “Tiny” Everal ran up and picked up the helicopter from Kax. It was a Hughes 500D, which weighs at least 703kg empty. Everal's quick reactions and superhuman strength saved Kax from being pinned in the water by a helicopter. Although the pilot injured his left arm, he escaped death thanks to a local Hawaiian hero.