Hidden amongst the bustling streets of Moscow, a poignant story of courage and sacrifice unfolds. Here, at the memorial to Aliya Moldagulova, we remember a young woman who defied the odds and became a symbol of resistance during World War II. Aliya Moldagulova, born in 1925, embarked on a journey from the quiet village of Bulak, Kazakhstan, to the heart of a war-torn nation.
Aliya’s early life was marked by hardship. She lost both her parents at a young age. Her uncle, Abubakir Moldagulov, took her in. He worked for the railway. In 1935, her uncle enrolled at the Military Transport Academy in Moscow. Aliya moved with his family. First to Moscow, then Leningrad. Their small apartment prompted Aliya to move to a children’s home at 14. She attended Leningrad school number 9, later renumbered 140.
When World War II erupted, Aliya’s uncle and his family evacuated. Aliya, however, chose to stay in Leningrad. She became a rooftop lookout for the children’s home during the Leningrad blockade. The children’s home was later evacuated to Vyatskoye village. Aliya’s path took an unexpected turn. She initially pursued a pilot’s scholarship at the Rybinsk Aviatechnical School. But after three months, she felt a stronger calling. She waived her scholarship to join the Red Army. After persistent requests for active duty, she enrolled in the Central Women’s Sniper Training School in Moscow.
Aliya Moldagulova, despite the lingering effects of malnutrition from the blockade, insisted on active duty. She was assigned to the 54th Infantry Brigade, 22nd Army, of the 2nd Baltic Front. On her second day, she recorded her first two kills. She valiantly fought in battles to liberate towns and villages in the Pskov region.
In January 1944, Aliya’s bravery shone brightest. During a brigade ambush of German forces at the Novosokolniki-Dno railway, she noticed her commander was missing. She took charge, rallying the battalion with a cry of “Forward for the Motherland!” She led them into the German trenches. Accounts even mention her disabling a machine gun with a hand grenade. Even a land mine blast, which left a splinter in her hand, couldn’t stop her. Aliya continued fighting until she was fatally wounded. She died on January 14, 1944. Her tally stood at an impressive 91 German soldiers killed.
Aliya Moldagulova’s sacrifice was not in vain. She was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin. Her story, etched in stone here at her memorial, reminds us of the courage and determination of a young woman. Aliya Moldagulova, who fought not only for her country but also for the enduring spirit of freedom.