Rustam Minnikhanov in the Kazan Victory Park laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and unveiled a monument to the Soviet soldier
Today, on Victory Day in World War II, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov visited Victory Park, where he laid flowers at the Eternal Flame of the colonnade of the Glory Memorial and unveiled a new monument to the Soviet soldier.
Due to the epidemiological situation in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, the event was held in a limited format, with a minimum number of participants. Together with the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, the State Advisor to Tatarstan, Hero of Labor of Russia Mintimer Shaimiev, Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Aleksey Pesoshin, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin took part in the ceremony. The live broadcast of the event was conducted by the TNV channel.
Upon arrival at the Victory Park, Rustam Minnikhanov got acquainted with the technics of the Great Patriotic War and rare armored vehicles. As part of a special action on May 8-9, military vehicles make a festive race through the streets of Kazan. The convoy stops at the houses where veterans live, the participants of the race congratulate them on Victory Day.
Then Rustam Minnikhanov, Mintimer Shaimiev and other participants in the event laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and at the monument to the Mothers and widows of the dead soldiers.
After this, the opening of a new monument to the Soviet soldier. The collective image of the warrior captured in the monument is based on the feat of the son of the Tatar people, Gazi Zagitov, who on April 30, 1945, together with his fellow soldiers, hoisted the Red Banner over the defeated Reichstag.
“Today we open a monument to the Soviet soldier. This is a monument to all residents of Tatarstan who fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, ”Rustam Minnikhanov said in his speech.
He noted that during the war years, 700 thousand Tatarstan people went to the front. Every second died in battles for the motherland. “The memory of the heroes will forever live in our hearts,” the President of Tatarstan emphasized.
Veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union Boris Kuznetsov, Hero of Socialist Labor, design scientist and honorary chairman of the Heroes of Tatarstan Charitable Organization Ildus Mostyukov and major general, chairman of the committee of the Republican Public Organization of Veterans took part in the video communication mode at the opening ceremony of the monument (disabled) "Union of Veterans of the Republic of Tatarstan" Akhat Yulashev. Rustam Minnikhanov wished all front-line soldiers and workers of the rear good health, long and peaceful years of life.
“I congratulate everyone on the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory of the Soviet people over the Nazi invaders. May the ruthless flame of war never scorch our land again, and the Victory Banner always flutters proudly over our indestructible power! ” - said Rustam Minnikhanov.
Further, the memory of those who fell during the war was honored with a moment of silence. Then the national anthems of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tatarstan were sounded.
Press Service of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Bulat Nizameev.