Proven - Tombs of prisoners of war and partisans dead in Belgium during World War II
List of Soviet military graves in Belgium
- Arlon
- Awenne
- Balen
- Bruxelles, Etterbeek
- Bruxelles, Evere
- Bruxelles, Ixelles
- Champlon
- Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont
- Chimay
- Comblain-au-Pont
- Dotsenko Tree (Bois de Stepennes)
- Engreux
- Flawinne
- Fleurus (Vieux-Campinaire)
- Genk
- Gent
- Han-sur-Lesse
- Han-sur-Lesse
- Hannut
- Houthalen
- Hoves /Silly
- Jumet-Gohyssart
- Koersel
- Kortemark
- Lanklaar
- Leopoldsburg
- Les Villettes
- Leuven
- Linden
- Liège, Citadelle
- Liège, Cointe
- Liège, Robermont
- Liège, Saint-Walburge
- Marchienne-au-Pont
- Maurage
- Montignies-sur-Sambre
- Morlanwez
- Mussy-la-Ville
- Namur, Belgrad
- Nidrum
- Peissant
- Proven
- Quévy
- Rebecq
- Reninge
- Robertville (Orthodox cross)
- Sougné-Remouchamps
- Sprimont (Dotsenko Monument)
- Stal-Koersel
- Tessenderlo
- Trois Ponts
- Westvleteren
- Zolder
Proven
In the churchyard of Proven (West Flanders province) there is a grave of a Soviet prisoner of war. According to the available information, Grigoriy Kukobko (date of birth 23.04.1923, place of birth – Chernihiv) who was buried here, died during the construction of a secret facility of Wehrmacht, codenamed “V1”.
In total, at least six Soviet citizens died in this area during the period from July to September 1944. They mere members of the construction crew transferred to Belgium and created by the SS from among the prisoners of Sylt concentration camp, which was located on the Alderney Island occupied by German troops. Graves of other members of the crew are located in the settlements of Westvleteren, Kortemark and Reninge.
The grave is located near the church fence, next to the burial of five British soldiers who died in 1940. The concrete cross has a plate with the inscription in Flemish “Kukobko Gregori, nationaliteit rus, overl. te Proven 7.12.1944” (“Kukobko Grigoriy, nationality – Russian, died in Proven on 7.12.1944”). According to the verified data, the date of death is 11.08.1944.
It is possible that Grigoriy Kukobko buried in Proven is listed in archival documents as the one who died in the Buchenwald camp on 06.10.1944.
The grave was discovered in June 2010 with the assistance of Luc Vanackere from the Free Technical School in Ypres
(Special thanks to Luc Vanacker, Free Technical School of Ieper)
Annual memorial ceremonies
2023
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2014
2013
2012
Dear visitors,
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that spelling of the names, surnames and places of birth of Soviet citizens buried in Belgium may be distorted due to the fact that they are quite often written only in Flemish and French in registration books and on monuments.
We thank the Brussels-Belgian Archdiocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, the organizations of Russian compatriots and Russian foreign institutions accredited in Belgium for providing photos and their efforts to preserve the memory of the heroism of the Soviet soldiers who fell in the Great Patriotic War.
The Embassy will be grateful for providing any information and photos of Soviet military graves of the Second World War in Belgium and the ceremonies held on them. Please send material to the email address of the Embassy amrusbel@skynet.be with the note «War Graves».