Timofey Dokutovich

Timofey Dokutovich came from a large Belarusian family with six other children.

When the Germans captured Orsha, Timofey was working at the locomotive depot. There he organised a group that collected weapons and carried out acts of sabotage on the railway. After Konstantin Zaslonov returned to Orsha, Dokutovich’s group began making ‘coal mines’. Risking their lives, the young men extracted TNT from bombs and shells they had found. They then coated pieces of TNT with coal dust, making them indistinguishable from real coal. To get a ‘coal mine’ into a locomotive’s firebox, it had to be carried into the depot through German checkpoints. This was done by Timofey’s sister, Vera. Risking both her own life and those of her relatives, she smuggled the mines in a basket containing her brother’s breakfast. These mines were used to derail 93 German military trains.

In January 1942, during a Soviet air raid, the Germans took shelter. Seizing the opportunity, Timofey jumped into a locomotive that was standing under steam, accelerated it and directed it towards the turntable. The locomotive derailed there and plunged into the turntable pit.

In the spring, the young hero caused a German train to crash, killing around 500 soldiers and officers.

Dokutovich was captured by the Germans. In exchange for his life, they offered Timofey the chance to become an informer—or, better still, to kill Konstantin Zaslonov himself! To regain his freedom and continue fighting the enemy, Dokutovich signed a written agreement to collaborate with the Germans.

On returning to Zaslonov’s unit, Timofey confessed everything honestly. The partisans wanted to execute Dokutovich, but Zaslonov saved him, saying that to continue the struggle, one not only could but should sign any papers demanded by the enemy!

After this, Timofey Dokutovich became Konstantin Zaslonov’s adjutant. On 13 August 1942, during an attack on the enemy garrison in the village of Gorbovo, Timofey Dokutovich was killed in action while shielding his commander with his own body.

Timofey Dokutovich and KonstantinZaslonov