Alexey Konstantinovich Kovalev

Childhood and occupation

Alexey Konstantinovich Kovalev was born in the village of Temryuk on 7 April 1925. His pre-war childhood was spent in that same village. His generation had to grow up early: when the war began, the young man had just turned 16. Like many teenagers in the war years, Alexey took on the responsibility of helping his elders. The years of the village’s occupation became a school of courage for the young man, adding to his resolve and his wish to reach the front as soon as he could.

When the recruitment of young people for labour in Germany began, Alexey twice managed to avoid being deported.

The Front

In September 1943, when Alexey turned 18, he was called up by the district military registration office. After training courses in the Zaporozhye region, Alexey Konstantinovich took part in the fighting on the Molochnaya River.

The Germans had begun fortifying the line on the Molochnaya River as early as March 1943. Every village was turned into a fortress: houses were linked by passages, and it was all reinforced with almost unbroken minefields and wire entanglements. The assault on the line began on 26 September 1943. For two weeks the fighting was extremely heavy, and our troops suffered severe losses.

In one of these battles Alexey was wounded for the first time. He was sent for treatment to a front-line hospital in Mariupol, and then returned to the front.

Serving with the 70th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 24th Guards Division, Sergeant A. K. Kovalev took part in the liberation of Ukraine and Belarus. After the rout of Army Group Centre, the troops moved west towards the Vistula and Warsaw. In one of the battles the courageous soldier was severely wounded. He was treated in Armenia, near Lake Sevan. According to the records of the Yerevan transit point, after his recovery — from 23.06.1944 to 12.09.1944 — mortar platoon commander A. K. Kovalev was assigned to the 136th Reserve Rifle Regiment, which was forming replacement units from convalescent soldiers.

The treatment was long and difficult. The wound proved incompatible with further combat service, and he was discharged on medical grounds.

Awards

Senior Sergeant Kovalev received his combat awards only after the war. The medal “For the Victory over Germany” “caught up with him” on 9 May 1945, and the medal “For Battle Merit” on 7 May 1970. For personal courage and bravery in battle, and for the excellent organisation and skilful command of combat operations, Alexey Konstantinovich was awarded the Order of the Red Star. His relatives have passed this award from the family archive into the permanent keeping of the local history museum.

A Peacetime Profession

During his time in hospital the young man thought long and hard about having to end his combat service so early. But he understood that peace would surely come to his native land, and that he had to learn to live in the new conditions and help rebuild a country ruined by war. Alexey decided to devote his life to a peaceful, creative profession.

In 1945 he enrolled at the Mariupol teacher training college. After the war he worked as a teacher at Zeleny Yar School, and in 1956 he was head of Fyodorovka School. He graduated from the Berdyansk Teacher Training Institute, was appointed deputy head of the Volodarske boarding school in 1959, and from 1960 to 1965 was head of Novokrasnovka School. Alexey Konstantinovich had a reputation as a deeply conscientious man who understood the challenges facing education in the district.

His wife Varvara Korneyevna and their three children supported Alexey Konstantinovich in every way.

Volodarske School No. 1

A capable organiser, an experienced educator, a wise teacher and mentor, A. K. Kovalev was appointed head of Volodarske Secondary School No. 1 in 1967. He put a great deal of work into the calling he loved, building a fine reputation for the district school.

In 1967 an additional building was added to the existing school. Spacious, light classrooms, subject rooms and a Pioneer room appeared. From scrap metal collected by the pupils, the bus “Volodarske Pioneer” was built, which served the residents of the settlement. The school’s pupils regularly took prize places in district and regional sporting competitions.

For many years the school’s teachers gave their charges a solid and thorough education. Many graduates went on to become distinguished people — and to this day they remember their wise, exacting headmaster.

For his great contribution to the upbringing of the younger generation, A. K. Kovalev received district and regional certificates of merit and was awarded the title “Distinguished Worker in Education”. This much-respected man in the district gave all his strength and experience to the service of the school until his final days. He remained in the post of headmaster to the end of his life.

The Family Line Continues

Alexey Konstantinovich’s son, Vladimir Alexeyevich Kovalev, was born in 1952 in the village of Zeleny Yar in the Volodarske district; he served in the marines and worked as an engineer. Today he lives in Volodarske, in the very place where his parents spent their lives.

His son, Vladimir Kovalev, has been supporting his grandfather’s school since 2022, and at the end of 2025 he founded the “Wings of Dream” foundation. Three generations of one family are bound to this settlement.