Abdulkhakim Ismailov

Who was Abdulkhakim Ismailov?

Abdulkhakim Ismailov was a Soviet soldier within the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II. He was photographed by Yevgeny Khaldei raising the flag of the Soviet Union over the Reichstag in Berlin in May 1945, three days before Nazi Germany's surrender.

Abdulkhakim Ismailov, a native of Dagestan, was severely wounded five times during World War II, including the Battle of Stalingrad, but constantly got back to the frontline.

The iconic photograph of Raising a flag over the Reichstag has been compared to the picture of American Marines raising the Flag on Iwo Jima in the Pacific theater. Photographer Yevgeny Khaldei recruited three Soviet soldiers for the picture – Aleksei Kovalyev, a teenager, held the flag over the Reichstag, while Ismailov and Aleksei Goryachev also appeared hoisting the flag in the photograph. Ismailov's role in the photograph remained unknown until Kovalyev identified Ismailov in a 1995 television documentary. Ismailov was honored as a Hero of Russia in 1996.

Abdulkhakim Ismailov died in his native village of Chagar-Otar, Khasavyurtovsky District, Dagestan, Russia, on 17 February 2010, at the age of 93.