Nikolai Kibalchich

Nikolai Kibalchich, the son of a parish priest, was born in Chernigov in 1850. He studied at the Petersburg Engineering College and began experiments into jet propulsion.

In 1875 Kibalchich was arrested for lending a prohibited book to a peasant. He spent three years in prison before being tried and sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

Kibalchich joined the the People's Will and became the party's main explosives expert. In March, 1881, he was arrested and charged with taking part in the assassination of Alexander II. Others involved in the plot included Gesia Gelfman, Nikolai Sablin, Ignatei Grinevitski, Andrei Zhelyabov, Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov.

Ignatei Grinevitski was killed during the assassination, whereas Nikolai Sablin committed suicide before he could be arrested. Nikolai Kibalchich, Sophia Perovskaya, Andrei Zhelyabov, Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov were hanged on 3rd April, 1881.