1912 – 27 December 1941

Grigoriy Sokolov was born in 1912.

Sokolov served as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War between October 1936 and July 1937. In Spain, he served as an engine mechanic on R-5 and SSS aircraft.

On 2 January 1937, he was decorated with the Order of the Red Star.

He graduated from Borisoglebskaya flight school in 1938.

Starshiy leitenant Sokolov took part in the Nomonhan conflict between June and September 1939. Initiall, he served in 22 IAP but from August, he served in the OIAE air defence.
During his time in Mongolia, he flew 26 combat missions with I-15bis and I-153s.

Starshiy leitenant Sokolov was posted from 34 IAP to 4./25 IAP in the end of January/beginning of February 1940 when this eskadrilya was set up with Polikarpov I-153s. This unit operated over the Karelian Isthmus during the Soviet-Finnish Winter War.

Between 15:20-16:25 on 17 February, kapitan Anatolii Nikolaev (I-16) and starshiy leitenant Sokolov (I-153) from 25 IAP claimed three Fokker D.XXIs shot down, two of them by Sokolov. One of the Finnish Fokkers was reported to crash in Sulvalahti.
These claims can’t be verified with any Finnish losses.

On 19 February, starshiy leitenant Piotr Kozachenko (CO 4./25 IAP) and starshiy leitenant Sokolov intercepted twelve Finnish Fokker D.XXIs over Hamina and in the ensuing combat claimed four of them shot down (two each).
According to some sources, these four claims were credited as shared between the two pilots.
These claims can’t be verified with any Finnish losses.

Sokolov totally flew 75 missions during the Winter War and took part in 3 combats.

Sokolov was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin on 21 March 1940.

Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, and in July, kapitan Sokolov was posted to 177 IAP. With this regiment, he flew I-16s and MiG-3s.

Sokolov was killed on 27 December 1941. The cause of his death is not known.

At the time of his death, Sokolov was credited with 4 biplane victories.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
1	17/02/40	15:20-16:25	1	Fokker D.XXI (a)	Destroyed	I-153		Sulvalahti	4./25 IAP
2	17/02/40	15:20-16:25	1	Fokker D.XXI (a)	Destroyed	I-153		Sulvalahti	4./25 IAP
3	19/02/40		1	Fokker D.XXI (b)	Destroyed	I-153		Hamina	4./25 IAP
4	19/02/40		1	Fokker D.XXI (b)	Destroyed	I-153		Hamina	4./25 IAP

Biplane victories: 4 destroyed.
TOTAL: 4 destroyed.
(a) Not verified with Finnish records.
(b) Not verified with Finnish records.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Red Stars 7 - Talvisota Ilmassa - The Winter War In the Air - Carl-Fredrik Geust, 2011 Apali Oy, Tampere, ISBN 978-952-5877-04-5
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Additional information kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.