Alexey Ostrovskiy presented a report to the Council under the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian Federation President to the Central Federal District

Governor Alexey Ostrovskiy presented a report at a meeting of the Council under the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian Federation President to the Central Federal District, held in Yaroslavl. The topic of the meeting was preparation for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Opening the session of the Council, the Plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the Central Federal District Alexander Beglov said: "In addition to organizational issues, which must be carried out precisely, the mood with which we are going to approach this holiday is very important, and it is even more important to which extend the youth is going to be involved in the celebration. The 70th anniversary is a special date for us. It should help us to fully realize that we are a nation-hero, a nation-winner, that we are the people who in the most difficult conditions can unite and become an invincible force. The theme of patriotism sounds very clearly today in all the speeches of the President, in a large number of presidential decisions and orders. The Victory Anniversary is another very timely opportunity to remind of the values of peace, of the importance of protecting these values".

Alexander Beglov paid particular attention to the work with veterans in the regions of the Federal District, which is one of the key issues in preparation for the glorious anniversary. The Plenipotentiary Representative also drew attention to the active involvement of the youth, various volunteer organizations and volunteer movements in patronizing the veterans, as this is an effective “from generation to generation” mechanism of developing responsibility and true patriotism.

In his report on the preparation for the anniversary of the Great Victory in Smolensk region, the Head of the region Alexey Ostrovskiy spoke in detail about the work of the regional Organizing Committee and about the implementation of the Plan of preparation for celebrating the anniversary of the Great Victory in Smolensk region.

"Clearly organized and systematic work on certification of the military graves is being carried out in the region. In our region the number of memorial sites connected with the events of the Great Patriotic War is as great as nowhere else. There are 849 only military graves and graves of civilians. The military cemeteries and military memorial sites are taken care by specially appointed patronizing organizations. Particular attention is paid to the solitary graves near the sparsely populated and uninhabited villages.

Together with the veterans of Smolensk region the management of the region has decided to set up in the main square of the city - Victory Square - a monument to the soldiers-defenders and liberators of Smolensk in the next jubilee year in anticipation of the Victory Day celebrations in the regional center. Today, the installation of the Eternal Flame in the town of military glory Vyazma and at the Solovyova crossing in the Kardymovo District is underway".

The Governor spoke about successful experience in organizing such patriotic actions as "Candle of Memory", "Immortal Regiment" and "St. George’s Ribbon", as well as in the search operations and commemorating the killed defenders of the Homeland: "Smolensk region has a great and significant experience in holding memorial ceremonies, in performing search operations and reburial. The center of patriotic education and pre-conscription training for the youth "Duty”, which is famous far beyond our region, has been operating for over 17 years on the territory of Smolensk region. This year 27 search expeditions and memorial ceremonies, in which a very large number of the resident of the region took part, have been already conducted. Next year not less than 30 search expeditions and burial ceremonies are going to take place in different districts of the region".

Alexey Ostrovskiy paid particular attention to the work with veterans of the Great Patriotic War, which is constantly carried out by the regional authorities, regardless of anniversaries: "Currently 16,060 veterans, 1,812 of whom are disabled and war participants, live in the region and receive social support measures in strict compliance with the federal law".

In addition, the Head of the region said that the regional Administration had introduced a new form of support - "Social Taxi", which is successfully used by the veterans; in accordance with the agreement on cooperation with the Permanent Committee of the Union State, 100 veterans have had a resort treatment in the healthcare institutions in Belarus and Russia; 98 disabled and war veterans will receive certificates to purchase property according to the orders of the President of Russia, and more than two hundred veterans will have their housing renovated.

At the end of his speech, Alexey Ostrovskiy assured the Envoy that the regional authorities will fully ensure the implementation of the decisions that have been taken by the President.