In may, it will be 75 years of Victory in the great Patriotic war. To this date, marked by several important events. And one of them is the opening of the Main temple of the Russian Armed forces and located near the memorial “Memory Road”. The importance of this project not only for Russia but for other countries “MK” on the eve of Victory Day, said Deputy defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin.
— Alexander, probably, despite the name, the Main Church of the Armed forces — this majestic building will become a spiritual center not only for people in uniform?
— of Course, because he was raised to the memory of all who fought against fascism, who brought closer the Victory. Its purpose is the preservation of the spiritual memory of the great Victory, the contribution to the achievement which has made many peoples living on different continents. And we do not divide on those who did to Win the war more and who less.
“One for all…” — remember, as sung in the famous song?
But to speak only about the Main temple of the Armed forces is not entirely correct. After all, it is inextricably linked with the Museum complex “Road of Memory”. The uniqueness of this project to your colleagues from TV channel “Star” recently told the author of this wonderful and very timely ideas — the Minister of defence of Russia Sergey Shoigu.
the Project was international. After all, the memorial will remind about all those places where our perished soldiers. Including and abroad.
— Yes, it is. In my opinion, even in 2018 Sergei Shoigu at a meeting shared his thoughts about the creation of such a memorial, which could bring a handful of earth from all places abroad where buried Soviet soldiers. Could there find shelter and the monument to fallen soldiers that modern vandals haunt in some foreign countries. Such a memorial would help to save these monuments to the dead, to preserve the history.
See, we all witness a violent campaign in some States, the demolition of monuments to the fallen Soviet soldiers who attempts a sweeping revision of the beginning, course and outcome of world war II. Some in his blasphemy had gone far enough — at the legislative level claim that the war was allegedly waged by the Soviet Union.
the idea of the temple and the Museum complex was to provide an opportunity for the relatives of the fallen and dead heroes come and worship his ancestor, experience the sense of pride in the invaluable contribution of the representative of his family in the great Victory, to tell their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends. It is important for all of us. We all have to remember those, thanks to whom we live in!
And a unique temple complex will show the world the ratio of Ro��these to the preservation of historical memory. This is very important, especially against the background of the “historical amnesia”, which has already hit the political elite of some countries and, unfortunately, does not always receive public resistance.
I Hope that “Memory Road” and the temple of Victory will help to preserve the historical memory and Patriotic education of the younger generation, as well as the restoration of historical justice, including in “lost” hearts and minds.
— How did the foreign to the idea of the memorial and, in particular, to the transfer of a handful of earth from the graves of soldiers? She found the response?
— We are working actively with the diplomatic missions of foreign States in the Russian Federation and abroad. Discuss the participation of foreign partners in realization. Due to differences in national legislations of certain States, the issue of harmonization of the collection of land somewhere was faster, somewhere more slowly, and where he still continues.
We are grateful to all our foreign partners for supporting us in this very important for us to share what we have together!
since the beginning of this year we held over 200 meetings in Moscow and in the different negotiating forums abroad with foreign partners and representatives of military-diplomatic corps. They are trying to convey in the first place? First, the importance of locating the galleries of the temple complex of historical exhibits, documents and other relics to commemorate the contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union and the peoples of other countries to the Victory. It is important to preserve historical memory.
And secondly, please assist in filling the data array “Roads of Memory” materials, photographs, information about the biographies of all the veterans — participants of the great Patriotic and the Second world war.
— Many countries have managed to involve in the work?
— We are in constant contact with the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia. Thanks to the efforts of diplomats of the foreign Ministry, the work involved Russian foreign institutions in 80(!) countries. Including all former Soviet republics except Georgia and in the USA, France, UK, China and many other countries.
Employees of embassies, consulates, military attaches help us a lot. In many dipuchrezhdeny deployed operational points of reception and digitization of photographs, personal documents, letters and other relics, shared by descendants of participants of the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945.
the same points working at Russian military bases abroad.
With the support of governments and local authorities information about the project “Road of Remembrance” is placed on official websites, in Newspapers, magazines, and other publications.
In the CIS countries cooperate with the leadership of educational institutions — the Russian schools, inform faculty and students about the project.
And you know, we heard. In the Russian foreign institutions began to come the descendants of the participants of the great Patriotic war with the desire to place the data arrays of the Museum complex “Road of Memory” pictures and data of their relatives.
by the way, Many do it remotely, through the official website of the Ministry of defence of the Russian Federation. People realize that this memory, no one will erase.
Sometimes the relatives of soldiers or war workers offer to transfer for permanent storage of military awards and personal belongings of their ancestors. Of course, we are ready to accept these priceless relics, which will occupy a worthy place in the galleries of the Museum complex.
as for the earth with burial sites located overseas, we have done a lot of work, but much remains to be done. Think about this figure: we know about 10 348 graves. They are located on the territory of the 47 foreign countries.
We have managed to bring to Moscow for a handful of earth from 1335 places of military graves located in 43 States.
on April 30 in the city-hero of Minsk, our Belarusian friends are planning in a solemn ceremony to transfer the Russian military attache with the ground 6807 burial sites, located on the Belarusian land.
unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic forced us to suspend some activities. But it will still be brought to an end. It is our duty.
as soon As the situation permits, we will continue to collect the earth in places of burial of Soviet soldiers in Germany with 675 places of burial, Hungary — with 902, the Czech Republic — with 892, Poland — with 557, Austria from 183, Ukraine — from 1840, and also in several other countries. And this is not a complete list.
Our goal is to perpetuate the memory of all who have contributed to the great Victory. Every year, the search teams find a field of past battles a new burial of the red army. And it would be unfair now to say that Yes, we can make it.
Work will continue after the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945. We must strive to gather data about all the participants in this most cruel war, contributed to the Victory over fascism.
