Nikita Kukonenko's homeroom teacher: He couldn't do otherwise

22 мая 2021
Flowers and words of gratitude for the feat. On Friday, Belarusians paid their last respects to the fallen pilots of the 116th Guards Air Assault Base. The tribute to the memory of the airmen was paid by their fellow servicemen, relatives and close ones. Hundreds of people came to see the heroes off. The tragedy left no one indifferent. The deeds of Andrey Nichiporchik and Nikita Kukonenko will forever remain in the heart of every Belarusian. 

Nina Mednikova, Nikita Kukonenko's homeroom teacher:
Nikita could not do otherwise, because he was such a person. I am sure that his crew commander probably ordered him to jump, but he did not. He stayed with him to the end and did his duty as an officer, a patriot, a man. We will always remember him. 

The feat of the fallen pilots will be immortalized in Baranovichi, announced the mayor's office. Here, they also remember the feat of the first Hero of Belarus Vladimir Karvat, who served at the 61st airbase. A mini-park will be set up in his honor. The citizens do not forget the feat of local pilots Alexander Marfitsky and Alexander Zhuravlevich, who died in August 2009 during an air show in Poland. The pilots were awarded the orders "For personal courage".