"Iron Grandmother" Maria Koltakova congratulated Russians on Victory Day

A participant in the Battle of Kursk, 103-year-old Koltakova Maria Denisovna, known as the "Iron Grandmother", congratulated the Russians on the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and sang the song "Katyusha".

During the war, she took part in the Battle of Kursk, the liberation of Kharkov, Lviv, Poland and Czechoslovakia. At the age of 20, Koltakova went to the front as a medical instructor, and carried out more than 300 wounded from the battlefields.

Already as a pensioner, Maria Koltakova took part in races in Sochi, flew an L-29 jet plane in North Ossetia, skydived, scuba dived, took part in a shooting tournament, drove a T-72 tank, and flew a Blahnik-L13 glider in the Belgorod region as part of the crew. She celebrated her 100th birthday with a new record by standing on nails for 100 seconds.

The Iron Grandmother was congratulated on Victory Day by Russian servicemen, the head of the Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov, People's Artist of the RSFSR Lev Leshchenko, members of the Night Wolves motorcycle club, Izvestia correspondents Alexander Safiulin, Evgeny Bykovsky and Emil Timashev, and many others.

"During the war years, you traveled many roads, participated in the Battle of Kursk, and reached Czechoslovakia and Poland. They proved by personal example that nothing is impossible for a young girl. Your military biography is an example of dedication and ability to complete a combat mission," the soldiers of the 2nd battalion of the 177th Separate Guards Marine Regiment noted.

Izvestia correspondent Emil Timashev emphasized that Koltakova is an example for each of us, so we will never forget her feat and the high price the Victory in the Great Patriotic War came at that time.

"I wish you long life and good health! You and your steely character are a great example for all of us, and your biography deserves a separate action-packed film. Thanks to people like you, whole generations of people who love their homeland and are proud of Russia have grown up in our country and will continue to grow," said Alexander Safiulin, a correspondent for Izvestia.

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Servicemen of the 40th Separate Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet) as part of the North group of forces in the Belovsky district of the Kursk region congratulated veterans, home front workers and war children on the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. The fighters gave them small tokens of attention: flowers, gifts, warm words and wishes.