Meeting devoted to the Day of air-borne troops

Governor Alexey Ostrovskiy participated in the solemn meeting devoted to the 82-th anniversary from the day of air-borne troops creation. This event took place in square named after peacekeeping soldiers.

History of air-borne troops goes back to the 2-nd of August 1930. Then during maneuvers of Moscow military region near by Voronezh were landed parachute subdivision of paratroopers consisted of 12 persons. This experiment showed all availability of air-borne troops using and their enormous possibilities connected with a fast enemy outflanking by air. The first subdivision of air-borne troops was formed in Leningrad military regionin 1931 and numbered 164 persons.

Corpses more than ten thousand strong based on airborne brigades were established in 1941. Paratroopers displayed mass heroism during the Great Patriotic War. They completed the most important tasks and very often sacrificed their own life. Natives of Smolensk have in honour heroic deeds of participants ofair-delivered operation in Vyazma. Landing of one of the biggest strategically airborne descent took place in January – February 1942. In the enemy's rear were landed more than 10 thousand military personnel which during six months freed about 200 local inhabited annihilated up to 15 thousand enemy soldiers and officers and many items of defense arsenal.

Governor Alexey Ostrovskiy, Chairman of State Duma Sergey Naryshkin and commander of airborne forces, Vladimir Shamanov participated in solemn events that took place in Vyama and Ugra disricts of Smolensk region expecting the Day of airborne forces. In Vyazma was opened a monument devoted to soviet commander of airborne forces during the period from 1954 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1979, the Hero of the Soviet Union, Vasily Mergelov. Ceremony of memorial opening devoted to heroic deed of troopers of the fourth airborne corps during the Great Patriotic War was held in village Zhelanya that is placed in Ugra district.

«Airborne Forces troupes are an example of patriotism, courage, brotherhood and friendship. The kind of patriotism that is typical for our forces is a good example for the younger generation of Russians», –mentioned Alexey Ostrovskiy in his speech on solemn meeting.

The Head of the region congratulated veterans of Airborne Forces troupes with his whole heart and expressed confidence that present generation of paratroopers will suitably keep the ball rolling and be a standard by running their difficult missions and serve Fatherland and native Smolensk region.