Mintimer Shaimiev laid flowers at the memorial sign "Kazansky obvod" in Bolgar

Today, State Councillor of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev and participants at a meeting in Bolgar - Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Vasil Shaykhraziev, Executive Director of the Foundation "Revival", Deputy of RT State Council Tatyana Larionova,  RT Minister of Culture Airat Sibagatullin Deputy of the State Council of Tatarstan Foat Valiev, Head of the Spassky Municipal district Kamil Nugaev, Chairman of RT State Committee on Tourism Sergei Ivanov and other officials - in honor of the 71st  anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic war, laid flowers at the memorial sign "Kazansky obvod", which is located at the entrance to the city of Bolgar.

During the Great Patriotic War defensive positions  all across the country were built  that    were supposed to prevent the enemy offensive  to the far rear. On the territory of Tatarstan defense line was located a semicircle around Kazan - from the village Pokrovskoe through Urmary station of  Kaybitsy and Apastovo to Kuibyshev (now Bolgar).

The construction of defense structures   entered the history of Tatarstan as   its heroic and tragic event. Total was dug 331 km. anti-tank ditches. Built 392 observation posts, 98 secret gun emplacements, bunkers 50 (long-range anti-aircraft gun emplacements), 419 huts. All these structures were reinforced  by  a defensive line, which was to stop the advance of the Nazis against Kazan. In mid-1941 1,107 people were employed in the construction, it was mainly the rural population. Despite the cold and hunger,  not always a clear organization of works, using primitive tools, people were able to mobilize their forces, the will, the courage, and for four months with a little  carried out the task of the State Defense Committee.

Construction ended February 11, 1942 "Kazan obvods" was maintained in constant combat readiness so long as the fascist troops threatened the Volga region.

Subsequently, the leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan,  decided to erect memorials "Kazansky obvod" in the Spassky, Apastovsky, Zelenodolsk regions. In Spassky region  memorial sign was  installed and inaugurated in 2014.

RT President's Press Service