April 15 – 20th anniversary of the establishment of the public association "Belarusian Union of Afghan War Veterans"

More than 5,000 residents of the Vitebsk region went through that war. Over 4,000 of them were awarded combat orders and medals. Two fellow countrymen – Vasily Shcherbakov (Polotsk district) and Vasily Pimenov (Vitebsk) – were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Leonid Belitsky (Vitebsk) was posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin. 145 soldiers, whose fate is connected with the Vitebsk region, did not return home. Among the war participants were 69 women.

One of them – Valentina Lakhteeva, a native of Liozno region – is also on the list of the deceased. Those who returned to their homeland often found themselves in difficult socio-legal and psychological situations. They were left to themselves. The common phrase – "And we didn't send you there" – mirrored the events of those years. Gradually, the understanding came that indifference and apathy could not be overcome alone. And the "Afghans" created a brotherhood.

Currently, the "Belarusian Union of Veterans of the War in Afghanistan" is a powerful patriotic association with about 12,000 members. The Vitebsk regional structure includes 1,949 members. It comprises 4 city and 19 district organizations.

— In the first years after returning from the "hot spot," many were completely unsettled. The housing issue was at the forefront of the problems, — says Valerian Matskevich, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Organization of the Public Association "Belarusian Union of Veterans of the War in Afghanistan." – In fact, for 10 years, with the support of the authorities, the issue of providing housing for combat veterans and families of the deceased was resolved in the region.

Today, we continue our work on social protection. People are getting old. Many are already retired. Some are ill, suffering from injuries and psychological trauma. Since the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, 580 people have passed away. The average age of those who leave us forever is 48 years. Last year alone, 46 former "Afghan" veterans died. Naturally, internationalist soldiers require special attention. However, as do their mothers, who need not so much financial support as human involvement, empathy, and understanding. As an example, I would like to mention the Vitebsk City Organization of Afghanistan War Veterans "Bratstvo" (Brotherhood), which for many years has been providing this category of people with vegetables and potatoes for the winter. Combatants undergo rehabilitation at the medical rehabilitation center for internationalist soldiers in Vitebsk and at the veterans' hospital of the Great Patriotic War in Yurtsevo.
The second area of work is military-patriotic education. It cooperates with associations of war and labor veterans and gradually takes on their burden. Evenings, memory watches, meetings with students... "Bratstvo" organizes the annual festival "Afghanistan Aches in My Soul." Last year, the international creative competition "Kalashnikov and Guitar" was held. At the Vitebsk Cadet School, the patriotic song festival dedicated to the memory of Guards Captain Leonid Belitsky has been held for 15 years. For the third consecutive year, the public gathers at the Lenin Central Library for a memory evening "With a Sense of Personal Responsibility." 15 international competitions among young men in boxing and water polo in memory of the heroes of the Afghan war have taken place. Tournaments in basketball are held in Lepel district. Volleyball tournaments are held in Novopolotsk. About 20 military and sports clubs are operating.
The third block of activity is preserving the memory of the Afghan war, the feat, and the courage of soldiers and officers. People must not forget this period of history, which lasted almost 10 years. And they must not allow a repeat of such events.

Among the organization's future tasks is the recruitment of new members. Currently, in the Vitebsk region, only 37 percent of the 5,000 participants in combat operations have joined the brotherhood.

On the eve of the memorable date, internationalist soldiers, representatives of the authorities, public figures, and youth gathered in the regional center at the "Pain" memorial. Wreaths, flowers, a volley of live ammunition, and a prayer service in honor of the fallen... This was followed by a solemn assembly, where the most active members of the organization were awarded Certificates of Honor and gifts.

Nadezhda FONDARenko.
Photos by the author. "Vitebsky Rabochy"