Boris Safonov

Obverse

a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, above it along the rim the inscription in a semicircle ‘РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ’ (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed with paired diamonds on both sides, under the coat of arms are the chemical symbol and fineness of the metal on the left and fine metal content and the mint mark on the right, at the bottom centre in three lines are the inscription ‘БАНК РОССИИ’ (BANK OF RUSSIA), the coin denomination ‘2 РУБЛЯ’ (2 RUBLES), and the year of issue ‘2024 г.’ (2024).

Reverse

relief images of the portrait of Boris Safonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, and Gold Star medals against the background of images of a flying airplane silhouette with a trail and polar lights, laser treated for matte finishing, and the semicircular relief inscription ‘Б.Ф. САФОНОВ’ (BORIS SAFONOV) under the portrait.

Authors

Designers: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), A.A. Brynza (reverse).
Sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), A.N. Bessonov (reverse).
Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint (СПМД).
Edge: 195 corrugations.

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Boris Safonov was a guards lieutenant colonel and the commander of the 2nd guards mixed Red Banner regiment of the Northern Fleet Air Forces. He became the first twice Hero of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War.

Senior lieutenant Safonov started his military track record on the third day of the war, on 24 June 1941, by shooting down a lone He-111. After that, he won multiple victories. This was due to his excellent knowledge of the plane and tactics which Safonov devised himself. Staying in the ‘blind zone’ behind German bombers where air gunners could not reach him, he approached the enemy no closer than a hundred metres and tried to destroy the gunner firing at him first. Then, he shot up the enemy’s unprotected plane from the rear hemisphere. By the end of the first summer of the war, Safonov won 11 personal victories in 32 aerial battles and was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner. On 16 September 1941, captain Boris Safonov was awarded his first title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. By spring 1942, Safonov became lieutenant colonel and an experienced commander of tens of experienced pilots. On 30 May 1942, lieutenant colonel Safonov was killed when he was driving off German bombers from the PQ-16 caravan during an aerial battle. Several days before, on 27 May 1942, the flying ace was awarded the Gold Star medal for the second time. On 14 June 1942, he was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Source: https://histrf.ru