The battle of Molotkov, fought on 29.10.1914, was the first major combat test of the 2nd and 3rd infantry regiments of the Polish Legions. The battle between the Legionnaires and the Russian troops took place in the triangle between Nadwórna, Maniawa and Żuraki. Approximately 200 legionaries were killed in the battle, 300 were wounded and about 400 were taken prisoner.

The fallen legionaries were buried in the battle sites - about 120 soldiers were buried in a common grave in Molotkovo, and some were buried in Dilki by the Lukavets Velikivka river and on the hills around Hwizda.

The Molotkovo grave covered about 100 square metres and was surrounded by a metal fence with four stone corners. In 1924, a tall straight iron cross was placed on it; funds were also raised to erect a chapel-mausoleum in memory of the fallen legionaries. Even before the outbreak of the Second World War, the iron cross was replaced by a conical several-metre-high memorial built of stone, with a cross on top. These were destroyed during the Soviet era - in 1947 or 1948; only the large boulder forming the base of the monument has survived. The area of the mass grave was also partially destroyed by laying a road. On 7.10.1994 a resident of Molotkovo, Mr Leopold Korytan, erected a 5-metre high metal cross on the site of the former monument. Since 25.06.1995 there is a new monument here. It was erected thanks to the efforts of Piotr Levitsky, a teacher from Nadvoretna and an ardent patriot.

At present, the grave area is fenced off. In the centre stands an obelisk on a two-tier base, topped with a cross. The inscription reads: "Poland always remembers you / To the heroes of the Second Brigade of the Polish Legions - grateful descendants" and an inscription in Ukrainian, which when translated into Polish reads: "Here are buried 200 Polish soldiers who died in battle on 29.10.1914".

In 2023, a general renovation of the commemoration was carried out and four plaques with the names of the fallen soldiers were added. The work was carried out by the Freedom and Democracy Foundation within the framework of a task co-financed by the programme of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage 'Places of National Remembrance Abroad'.