Holiday events dedicated to Victory Day gathered thousands of guests and city residents in Vitebsk
Traditionally, thousands of city residents marched in a column from Lenin Square to Victory Square to celebrate Victory Day and honor the memory of those who died during the Great Patriotic War.
The procession was led by a banner group of servicemen from the 103rd Vitebsk Separate Guards Airborne Brigade, carrying the State Flag of the Republic of Belarus, the flags of the region and the city, and a replica of the Victory Banner, symbolizing the heroic past, the continuity of generations, and the country's independence at the present stage.
Following them were participants of the "Belarus Remembers" campaign with hundreds of portraits of veterans, including schoolchildren and cadets.
The events of 1941-1945 are our pain and an unpayable debt to past generations. No matter how much time passes, the unparalleled feat, courage, and heroism of everyone who defended their homeland without sparing their lives will remain in the memory and hearts of Belarusians.
A rally was held near the Eternal Flame of the Memorial Complex in honor of the liberator soldiers, partisans, and underground fighters. The rally was attended by the leadership of the region and the city, representatives of labor collectives and the public, youth, and witnesses of those terrible events. They laid wreaths and flowers and honored the memory of the fallen with a minute of silence.
— Today we celebrate the 78th anniversary of the Soviet people's victory in the Great Patriotic War. May 9 is the most important date in the life of our republic. Belarusians treat those who survived the hostilities with care and respect, and mourn those who are no longer with us. It is thanks to the courage and self-sacrifice of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers that we have the opportunity to live in a free state and under a peaceful sky," said the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin. — The liberation struggle against the invaders was truly a people's war: the land literally burned under the feet of the occupiers. The Soviet people gave the enemy no rest, day or night, pushing them step by step off their territory. The punitive forces took brutal revenge for this — every district has its own Khatyn junior sisters, villages destroyed to
— It is painful to witness attempts to rewrite the past, to whitewash criminals whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of civilians, to impose false heroes on the younger generation, — noted the head of Vitebsk region. — I can assure the veterans that we will not give up our Great Victory to anyone. This is a matter of honor for the current generations of our compatriots. It is in the traditions of our people to worthily preserve the memory of their history, to work on the revival of shrines and the restoration of the names of all those who paid with their lives for the liberation of the country. This is especially relevant in the Year of Peace and Creation. It is important that young people actively participate in the search efforts — for them, this is the best school of patriotism. In 2022 alone, over 3,000 names of soldiers who died liberating the country were identified. Naturally, the main heroes of the holiday were veterans and those who experienced the horrors of war. They are an example for us in everything. — We admire your character, your ability to put the interests of the Motherland above your own, — noted Alexander Subbotin. — Your feat predetermined a dignified life for future generations of Belarusians. It gave us the opportunity to create and move forward boldly. We bow low to you!
Former child prisoner Sofia Shlykova shared her memories:
— People who remained in the occupied land, despite the great danger, joined partisan detachments and waged underground struggle. The punitive forces retaliated harshly against local residents, calling them bandits. But they could not break the spirit of popular resistance. I had to experience all the horrors of life in concentration camps and bury many of my relatives. That is why May 9 is a sacred date. It is important that teenagers and young people treat the Victory with due respect. This means that the lessons of history will not be forgotten.
Vasily Volovik, a military pensioner, noted:
— Victory Day is a great holiday that testifies to the valor and courage of our fathers and grandfathers. They are our pride. I have always tried to emulate the ordinary soldiers and officers who sacrificed their own lives for the common success in the fight against the Nazis. That is why I linked my life with military service and defended the interests of the Motherland beyond its borders. I believe that I did not fail and became a worthy successor to the generation of victors.
After the rally, officials and honored guests laid wreaths at the bust of Hero of the Soviet Union Pyotr Masherov and a memorial sign installed at the site of the execution of Soviet patriots during the Great Patriotic War.
Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by