Vasily Barabanov

After the revolution he became Komsomol activist, since June 1919 led the culture and propaganda center in Altufyevo, in August 1920 served in the Red Army.

In April 1935 Barabanov was dismissed, expelled from the party ("for drinking and hiding he was son of a kulak") and spent six months in solitary confinement while being investigated.

For achievements during construction of the Volga–Don Canal Barabanov was in 1952 awarded title Hero of Socialist Labour, decorated by the Order of Lenin and the "Hammer and Sickle" gold medal and was further promoted.

According to numerous testimonies of former prisoners and employees of MVD alike, Barabanov differed sharply from the majority of the camp commanders.

Barabanov served as a model for the character of Batmanov, a competent organizer and Stalinist hero in the 1948 novel Far from Moscow by Vasily Azhayev.