The delegation of the Vitebsk region took part in festive events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk
“This battle will remain in history as an example of true courage and heroism, strength of spirit and faith in Victory. Every inch of Kursk land is watered with the blood of fallen heroes, soldiers and officers of different nationalities. Their feat will forever live in the hearts of Belarusians,” the congratulation reads. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the feeling of deep gratitude to the liberator warriors who gave people the right to a peaceful life has forever united the fraternal peoples of Belarus and Russia.
Flowers and wreaths were laid at the "Heroes of Kursk" stele on Red Square in Kursk and at the "In Memory of the Fallen in the Great Patriotic War" memorial by Governor Alexander Mikhailov, residents of the regional center, official delegations from all regions of Russia, Vitebsk and Mogilev regions of Belarus, and veteran organizations from Armenia, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.
“History has long judged the results and significance of the Battle of Kursk. 75 years have passed. But new details that are being revealed make one marvel at the courage of the soldiers who won the fiercest battle on the Kursk Bulge. More than 100,000 soldiers were awarded orders and medals, and 231 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Their glorious names are immortalized in the names of streets and squares,” Alexander Mikhailov noted in his speech.
The graves of tens of thousands of Soviet soldiers rest in the Kursk land: Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, and representatives of the peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia. With a minute of silence at the Eternal Flame, residents and guests of Kursk honored their memory, bowing their heads in sign of appreciation and gratitude to those who gave their lives for the Motherland and peace on earth.
“The events of 75 years ago are the most important battle that changed the course of the Great Patriotic War,” noted Gennady Egorov, Head of the Main Ideological Work and Youth Affairs Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. “This is a momentous event in which natives of the Vitebsk region took worthy part. Today, we together pay tribute to the heroic defenders of the Fatherland, and I am confident that the festive events will serve to strengthen friendship and cooperation between our fraternal peoples.”
By the beginning of the Battle of Kursk, on which Hitler's troops placed great hopes for retaining the strategic initiative in warfare after the defeat at Stalingrad, gigantic forces and resources were gathered. According to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, more than 2 million troops from both sides, over 7,000 tanks and self-propelled guns, and more than 4,000 aircraft were involved in the Battle of Kursk. And this is only in the first days of the battles.
The Battle of Kursk lasted from July 5 to August 23 and ended with the defeat of the enemy, whose losses amounted to more than 500,000 killed, wounded, and captured. One of the most dramatic and heroic moments of the battle was the tank battle near Prokhorovka.
For courage and resilience shown in the defense of the Motherland during the Great Patriotic War, Kursk, among the first three cities in Russia, was awarded the honorary title "City of Military Glory" in 2007.
Thousands of spectators witnessed the military parade in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk. The mechanized column was led by the legendary T-34 tank, which had no equal during the war years. In the evening, the sky over the regional center was painted with bright colors by a festive fireworks display.