In Vitebsk, veterans were congratulated at home on the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory
Among those who met May 9, 1945, on combat duty, and who received congratulations from the President of the Republic of Belarus and a medal in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory this year, is Anatoly Terentyev. Still a man of striking handsomeness, with a resonant voice like Levitans. He keeps everything in his memory, especially the faces of his combat comrades who died from enemy bullets and shells.
In 1941, he was a teenager, so he didn't go to the front right away. Remaining in Vitebsk, he joined the ranks of Nikolai Nagibov's underground group, which maintained contact with Minay Shmyrev's brigade. Anatoly Terentyev knew German well, and therefore was a valuable informant: he learned about the occupiers' plans, counted enemy echelons and numbers, and then passed this important information to the underground fighters. He participated in sabotage operations.
In 1944, Anatoly Nikonovich was drafted into the army, and for six years he dedicated himself to military service. The Vitebsk resident heard the news of victory over Nazi Germany in a forest dugout: first he heard the announcement on the radio, and then – gunfire from the headquarters. The first feeling from the joyful news was pride for his people, who managed to rid the world of the brown plague.
– We also felt relief: such a burden was lifted from our shoulders, – recalls the veteran. – And bitterness for our fellow soldiers who did not live to see this day.
But the jubilation had to be interrupted: a combat mission had to be carried out – to clear minefields.
– Until October 1945, we were engaged in demining, and my comrades – good guys – died during this, says the former platoon commander, unable to hold back tears, listing the names of his friends.
After demobilization, Anatoly Terentyev, then a first-class radio operator, returned to his native Vitebsk and got a job at the Kirov plant. In parallel with his work, he studied at an evening school, which he graduated with a gold medal, and then at the Moscow Polytechnic Institute. After 14 years of hard work at the machine-tool plant, he was transferred to "Evistor" as chief power engineer, to which Anatoly Nikonovich dedicated 37 years. Including his army service, the veteran's work experience is 62 years.
The story of Anatoly Terentyev's combat and labor path is passed down in his family from generation to generation. His three great-grandchildren will be its keepers: the eldest – a future rescuer, graduating from the University of Civil Protection, the younger ones – of school and preschool age.
There are not many Belarusians left who survived the wartime ordeal, which is why their memories of the terrible years 1941–1945 are so valuable for today's generation. They are necessary so as not to forget the feat of the defenders of the Fatherland and to prevent the recurrence of the great tragedy.
In total, there are 654 veterans in the Vitebsk region. On the eve of the holiday, they received congratulations from the head of state in the form of a stylized triangular military letter, a jubilee medal, and gifts as a sign of respect and gratitude for their contribution to the Great Victory.