Maria Kulkinа – Soviet fighter pilot (1919–1944).

Born in Volsk, she initially studied medicine but left to pursue aviation. After graduating from flight school, she served as a civilian pilot until WWII broke out. Her first husband, also a pilot, was killed in action in 1942. Maria then fought on the North Caucasian and Southern Fronts, completed 523 combat sorties, and was awarded the Order of the Red Star. She later transferred to a fighter regiment, flew in a pair with her second husband, and was shot down and killed in a dogfight over Moldova on May 20, 1944. Her Yak fighter was recovered from a river only in 1972. She is buried at the Kurgan of Glory in Dubossary.