Fisanovich was born in a working class Jewish family in Elizavetograd (now Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine), Russian Empire.

In fact, the RAF and Royal Navy both held Courts of Inquiry into the loss of B-1 and her 50 Russian and one British crew.

Both inquiries were clear that Captain Fisanovich was almost exactly where he was supposed to be, that he did not open fire on the aircraft and that he did not crash dive when it approached.

The crew of the 86 Squadron Liberator that attacked B-1 were, however, found to have been at least eighty miles off course, well inside the 'submarine sanctuary' surrounding B-1 as she made her way north, and to have ignored unmistakable signs that the submarine was friendly.

Captain Fisanovich was cleared of all blame and the RAF aircrew was held fully responsible for the incident which was then hushed up to save diplomatic embarrassment ahead of the Yalta Conference.