Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov (Russian: Я́ков Федо́тович Па́влов; 17 October 1917 – 28 September 1981) was a Soviet Red Army soldier who became a Hero of the Soviet Union for his role in defending the eponymous "Pavlov's House" during the Battle of Stalingrad.

[1] Pavlov was born in 1917 to a peasant family in the small village of Krestovaya in northwestern Russia (present-day Novgorod Oblast).

[citation needed] During World War II, he fought on the Southwestern, Stalingrad, 3rd Ukrainian and 2nd Belorussian fronts.

[citation needed] During the Battle of Stalingrad, on the night of 27 September 1942, Pavlov's platoon recaptured a four-story residential building from the German Army, and defended it against continual attack by the Germans until relieved by advancing Soviet forces two months later.

Pavlov died on 28 September 1981, most likely due to injuries he received during his military career, and was buried in Novgorod.