Vasilisa Pashchenko

Vasilisa Sergeevna Pashchenko (; 1923 – 19 April 1945) was a radio operator in the Soviet Air Force during World War II who was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2021.

Biography Born to a Russian peasant family in Millerovo in 1923, she went on to enlist in the Red Army in 1942 to aid the war effort during the ongoing fight against the German occupation of the Soviet Union. Originally assigned to the 432nd Airfield Service Battalion, after graduating training for radio-operator/gunners in 1944 she was reassigned to the 452nd Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 218th Bomber Aviation Division. There, she entered combat, and in March 1945 she was awarded the Order of the Red Star for participating in 25 sorties, of which 16 were over Budapest.