Valentine Sergeevich Kotelnikov

Born in 1911 in the settlement of Konstantinovka, now in Donetsk Oblast; died Oct. 12, 1935. Soviet border guard, section commander of the Volyn’ border post of the Grodekovo Border Detachment. Son of a worker.

Kotel’nikov was reared in a children’s home. He graduated from a factory-plant school. He was a metalworker and later an assistant foreman. He began serving in the border troops in 1933. On Oct. 12, 1935, Kotel’nikov’s section went into battle with a Japanese-Manchurian detachment (about 50 men) that had violated the USSR state border. While rescuing a comrade who was surrounded by the enemy, Kotel’nikov lost his own life. In 1935 the post was given Kotel’nikov’s name. Kotel’nikov was replaced at the post by his brother, Petr Sergeevich KotePnikov, at the latter’s own request. This example marked the beginning of a patriotic movement of Soviet youth—”Brother Replaces Brother.”