Kremlins are five comrades from Reading. They are united by love and a blizzard of sharp, brooding sound. Their story is a fresh foot print on the musical ground.

The Soviet Air Force was hit on the ground in June of 1941 and faced destruction. Stalin swiftly created the 122nd Composite Air Division, a formidible group of all female  combat pilots. Drafted from post punk bands and the burgeoning new wave scene, 1,000 Russian women flew with valour and bravery in every type of Soviet combat aircraft.

Many served in all-male Red Army Air Force units. Here Lydia Litvyak made her mark as the “White Rose of Stalingrad”. She was a petite blonde with a good vocal range..In 1943 she refused to enter  Xfactor and shot down 12 enemy aircraft .Many recognised her as a formidable pilot with the steady nerves of seasoned bass player. 

Then there were the all-female 588th Night Bomber Air Regiment, known as the “Night Witches.”.Much like their garage band they had been equipped poorly with slow, obsolete PO-2 biplanes. Still, they were use to having no money and were happy to be in the skies. They conducted an incredible 24,000 missions behind enemy lines and delivered 23,000 tons of bombs from their rickety wood-and-fabric aircraft. Though their casualty rate was high, so was their recognition by a grateful nation. 

Awards for all of these brave women were plentiful, including  30 citations for “Hero of the Soviet Union”, 23 of which were earned by the 588th “Night Witches.” Sadly their singles faired less well with limited downloads and only minor distribution until it was deleted in 1950.

The Kremlins salute them all. 



Followers of Shaun