A rally on the occasion of Fatherland Defenders' Day was held in Vitebsk
Events dedicated to the holiday took place in all districts of the Vitebsk region. Representatives of the authorities and the public visited monuments and mass graves of fallen servicemen; festive concerts were organized in cultural centers and educational institutions.
In Vitebsk, the leadership of the regional executive committee and district administrations of the city, delegates from labor collectives, public organizations, and youth gathered on Victory Square. A ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers took place at the monument to Soviet soldiers, partisans, and underground fighters.
— From childhood, we were taught that the army for a man is a school of courage, heroism, and strength of character. Everyone who may have to defend the Motherland and their loved ones in case of need must possess these qualities. I am proud that our youth, including cadets and schoolchildren, are raised in such a patriotic spirit. I am confident that the current generation, like their ancestors, will become a reliable shield against the enemy, — said Nikolai Sherstnev, Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee. — I congratulate all residents of the region on the great holiday — Defender of the Fatherland and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Belarus, I wish you health, well-being, and confidence in the future.
Salvos of guns were fired in memory of the fallen soldiers. Soldiers, representatives of law enforcement agencies, and cadets marched in a solemn procession before the memorial. An exhibition of modern combat equipment and weapons was organized on Victory Square.
At the Vitebsk Concert Hall, jubilee awards "100 Years of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus" will be presented to veterans at a solemn assembly.
— This medal is awarded to servicemen who have achieved high results in their service, veterans of the Great Patriotic War and the Armed Forces, officials of state bodies of Belarus and other countries, and those who have made a significant contribution to strengthening the republic's defense capability and military-patriotic education, — said Ruslan Shkodin, Military Commissar of the region.
One of the first to receive the medal will be veteran Alexey Ivanov, residing in Vitebsk. He survived the blockade, fought on the front from December 1944 to May 1945, liberating Belarus, the Baltic states, and East Prussia. After the war, he served in the 103rd Separate Guards Airborne Division. He has a number of combat awards, including the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class.
Alexey Mikhailovich will turn 93 in a few days. Despite his age, he met Ruslan Shkodin and the head of the regional veterans' organization, Sergey Olsevich, in uniform and promised to remain in service, conducting patriotic work with young people. Ruslan Nikolaevich and Sergey Iosifovich presented him with the award, wished him health and long life.