A memorial sign in honor of the hero pilot Nikita Kukonenko has been opened in Polotsk
Nikita Kukonenko was a graduate of the Polotsk Cadet School. He died at the age of 22 near Baranovichi while performing a training flight on a Yak-130. The aircraft sharply lost control and began to fall towards a block of apartment buildings. Upon detecting system failures, the pilots were instructed to eject, but they decided to remain in the cockpit of the descending aircraft and steer it away from residential areas.
The event was attended by distinguished guests: Chairman of the Central Election Commission Igor Karpenko, Assistant to the President-Inspector for the Vitebsk Region Sergey Levkovich, Chairman of the Polotsk District Executive Committee Igor Markovich, Chairman of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee Igor Burmistrov, Bishop of Polotsk and Glubokoye Ignatius, Chairman of the Republican Council of the Public Association "Belarusian Union of Suvorovets and Cadets" Sergey Zhitikhin, and Nikita Kukonenko's mother, Natalia Olegovna.The new buildings of the Polotsk Cadet School are located on the territory of the Upper Castle and face directly towards the spiritual pearl of the region – the Saint Sophia Cathedral. In this hallowed place, the history and traditions of the Polotsk Cadet Corps are being revived and continued, said Igor Karpenko, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Belarus, who was present at the event:
– The monument we are unveiling today testifies that the tradition of honoring its graduates, its heroes, is continued by modern generations of cadets. This monument is not only a tribute to the memory and respect for Nikita Kukonenko. It is also a symbol of courage, resilience, and the ability to sacrifice oneself for the lives of others. It is a symbol of high patriotism, of all those important civic-patriotic qualities that are instilled here, at the Polotsk Cadet School, and therefore, the history and traditions continue. I want to thank all those who were involved in the idea of creating, implementing, and installing this monument. Thank you to everyone who is not indifferent to the history of the Polotsk land, its famous natives, and all those who serve as a shining example of service to the Fatherland and the Belarusian people.
Sergey Levkovich, in turn, thanked everyone who participated in the creation of the memorial.
– Nikita and his comrade Andrey have inscribed their names in history forever. We hope that all the cadets of the school will remember Nikita's feat, – said Nikita Kukonenko's classmate Alexander Uisky.
The words were hardest for the hero's mother, Natalia Olegovna:
– I congratulate everyone on the unveiling of the memorial plaque. Our family has been waiting for this event for a very long time. I thank everyone who participated in fundraising for the monument, everyone who helped it appear. I look at the image created by the sculptor, and it is as if alive, conveying Nikita's character exactly. Dear cadets, I appeal to you. Always strive for your goals, be confident in yourselves, love your Motherland, cherish life, and be proud of our heroes!
Vladyka Ignatius also addressed the attendees. He emphasized that people ready to give their lives for the love of their neighbor are always alive in God's eyes.
-Be worthy of the memory of Heroes like Nikita Kukonenko, — the Bishop of Polotsk and Glubokoye concluded. …
A minute of silence – and fresh flowers were laid at the foot of the monument.
Honoring the Hero of Belarus, the cadets marched in a solemn procession.