Volodia Dubinin

Who was Volodia Dubinin?

Volodia Dubinin was a Pioneer Hero of the Soviet Union.

His real name is Vladimir Nikiforovich Dubinin. Following a local tradition, he was called "Volodia", nickname he is known for worldwide. He was born to Nikifor Semionovich Dubinin and Evdoquia Timofeievna Dubinina.

He was one of the group of Soviet partisans who went to live underground in an abandoned quarry near Kerch to resist German invasion during World War II, in the first period of what has come to be known as the Defense of the Adzhimushkay quarry. Since he used to play there as a little boy, his knowledge of the area, tunnels and exits was vast, and proved to be very useful for the resistance.

When Germans had withdrawn, Volodia shared in cleaning and rebuilding the city. That is what he was doing when he trod on a land mine left by the Germans and lost his life on January 4, 1942.