Vitebsk servicemen helped villagers to improve monuments and memorials

While work collectives were cleaning up the territory of enterprises and organizations as part of the republican subbotnik, the population was engaged in landscaping near their homes, on the streets of cities and villages, as well as near memorable places. Thus, the 11th separate rifle company of the 5th separate rifle battalion of military unit 7404 from the capital of the Dvina region came to Babinichi (Vitebsk region) to help the villagers tidy up the local monuments and memorials. Their attention was focused on the mass grave of Soviet soldiers and partisans who died during the Great Patriotic War, and the monument erected in their honor. The volunteers actively and with a sense of duty took up painting and whitewashing, clearing last year's leaves, and pruning bushes.

The choice of the Vitebsk servicemen was not accidental. Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Kurilenko was born here – a partisan saboteur of I.R. Shlapakov's partisan detachment in the Smolensk region. The village still cherishes the memory of 2527 soldiers and partisans, 136 teachers and former students who died in this region during the years of military hardship. In their honor, a monument and an obelisk rise with tragic grandeur, and memorial plaques preserve the names and surnames of the fallen heroes…

"We volunteered to help the district ourselves. We contacted the local rural council to suggest which sites needed help as part of the subbotnik," says company commander Andrey Zhurko. "By the way, for us, this event is quite symbolic and became the first public endeavor, as our military unit was recently organized to supervise male and female LTPs. Moreover, in addition to performing our duties and fulfilling our main responsibilities, we intend to continue participating in various military-patriotic events and in deeds for the benefit of society and our region."

Natalia RYAZHKOVA, "Vitebsky Rabochy".

Photo by Alexander EFREMENKO.