Alexey Ostrovskiy and Deputy Presidential Representative Plenipotentiary in the Central Federal District Nikolai Ovsiyenko visited the Vyazma District

During the working trip round the Vyazma district the Head of the region Alexey Ostrovskiy and Deputy Representative Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation President in the Central Federal District Nikolai Ovsiyenko visited the military-historical memorial and museum of the soldiers “Bogoroditskoe field”.

On October 2, 1941 moving in the direction of Vyazma the Nazis began the "Typhoon" operation to seize the capital of the USSR. Having collected a considerable force, the German generals made two major hits, the purpose of which was to surround and destroy the main forces of the Western and Reserve fronts in a short time. The forces of the Soviet army, in spite of the desperate resistance, could not stop the enemy, and on October 7, the10th Tank Division of Wehrmacht encircled our troops.

The heroic deed of many participants of the Viazma encirclement has been recognized only recently. Only in 1993, 23 years after his death, Lieutenant-General M.F. Lukin was awarded the title of the Hero of Russia.

The memorial to soldiers of the Western and Reserve fronts "Bogoroditskoe field" was created by the decision of the Russian Organizing Committee "Victory", as a tribute to the courage, heroism and sacrifice of defenders of the Homeland. The opening ceremony of the memorial took place in the Bogoroditskoe village in the Vyazma District on June 22, 2009. The complex consists of the stele, memory alley and military burial. Also, it includes the previously erected monument to the 2nd National Militia Division of the Reserve Front and to the 200th special marine artillery battalion. Annually, in October, on the anniversary of the tragic events that occurred in 1941 on the Vyazma land, the ceremonial reburial of the remains of Soviet soldiers found by search squads takes place at the Vyazma Memorial.

Alexey Ostrovskiy and Nikolai Ovsiyenko laid flowers at the Memorial and paid tribute to the fallen heroes by a minute of silence.

At the "Bogoroditskoe field" museum the Head of the region and the Deputy Representatives Plenipotentiary looked at the exposition devoted to the Vyazma Defense operation. The museum was opened in January 2013 in one of the restored buildings of the former gentry’s estate. At the heart of the exhibition there are Soviet and German documents, maps, photographs depicting battles taking place from 2 to 14 October, 1941, the personal belongings of soldiers and commanders, found on the battle fields, models of arms of both armies.

Also during the trip the officials took part in ceremony of honoring the veteran of the Great Patriotic War Ivan Sokolov, who celebrated his 95th anniversary.