In 1947 a monument in the form of a 22-metre obelisk topped with a statue of a soldier was erected in memory of the Chekists (members of the Soviet secret police) who lost their lives defending Stalingrad during the war. More recently a small simple chapel was added to the complex which is dedicated to two of Russia's most famous mediaeval heroes: Aleksandr Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy.

In 2011 the Chekist Monument was joined by a memorial to so-called bomber-dogs, who proved to be of great value during the Battle of Stalingrad. Explosives were strapped to the unfortunate dogs who had been trained to run at enemy tanks. The bombs would then go off, killing the dog but also hopefully taking the tank with it. It seems cruel today, but in the context of this bloody and brutal battle the dogs were very effective: it is believed that around 120 German tanks were destroyed in this manner during the whole battle, saving the lives of countless Soviet soldiers. The memorial depicts a dog ready to run into battle.