65th anniversary of the Great Victory: ‘Escape from Hades’ monument will be raised in Vologda

‘Escape from Hades’ memorial will be raised in Vologda in honor of the 65^th anniversary of Victory over the Nazi and in memory of a legendary flight of the Russian prisoners from the concentration camp.

On February 8, 1945 Vladimir Sokolov, born in Vologda region, together with fighter pilot Mikhail Devyatayev and other prisoners escaped from the secret island Uzedom (Germany) on a hijacked German bomber ‘Heinkel-111’. Having made about 300 kilometers Devyatayev’s group brought to the Soviet commandment the strategic information of high importance on the secret center at Uzedom where the Nazi Reich had been producing and testing rocket weapons. The ex-prisoners also provided the exact location of the missile launch pads of V flying bombs.

The unique monument ‘Escape from Hades’ was created as a part of the project ‘Walk of Glory’ led by the distinguished Russian sculptor Mikhail Serdyukov. The memorial was presented to the city of Vologda by ‘SMiK’ company of Kropotkin town, Krasnodar region’, - explained the Head of Town Building and Architecture Department Ilya Samarin.

According to Mr. Samarin the monument will be raised in Vologda, in a public garden on Oktyabrskaya street. The grand opening ceremony is scheduled for April 16 – the day of Vladimir Sokolov’s death during the river of Oder force crossing.

As Mr. Samarin pointed out the memorials will be raised on the native land of each participant of the flight as well as on Uzedom island in Germany as a part of the preparation activities for the 65^th anniversary of the Great Victory celebration and also to cultivate patriotic feelings in young generation.