The meeting dedicated to the Victory Day

The meeting dedicated to the national holiday - the 68th anniversary of the Great Victory was held on May, 8 in Park of Heroes. It was attended by veterans of the Great Patriotic War, representatives of authorities, public organizations, soldiers of the Smolensk garrison, school and university students and guests of the Hero-city.

The youth were standing side by side with the veterans whom we immensely grateful to for their military feat, for the post-war reconstruction of the destroyed economy, for the fact that they are still in service, contributing to the patriotic upbringing of the younger generation.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Governor - Head of Administrative Office of the Smolensk region Administration Lev Platonov said that the Smolensk region always rose against the enemy, trying to infringe on the freedom and independence of our Motherland. At the front and rear Smolensk people showed courage and heroism, spared no efforts or life in the struggle against the enemies of the Fatherland.

"I am honored to open this meeting. It has been said so much and at the same time so little about this happy holiday – the Victory Day. At such an event we should let the heart do the talking, – said the Vice-Governor. - Those who were in the battle fields understand how difficult it was to survive in the fierce battle with the enemy, that wanted to conquer our country. I was very young but I remember the first Victory Day of 1945. I remember how genuinely happy our people were and how long they had been looking forward to this day. Our task is to ensure that children and grandchildren remember and pass down the truth about the great feat to future generations. We say our special thanks and bow to the veterans present here at the holy fire, the people of Smolensk who survived through those rough years and defended the freedom of our country".

The war ground the Smolensk land in its monstrous millstones. Smolensk which was 97 percent destroyed was all ashes and ruins.

The participants of the meeting observed a minute's silence in memory of the victims, laid wreaths and flowers to the Fire of Eternal Glory. Flowers were laid to the grave of the Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Yegorov, who in May, 1945 hoisted the Victory Banner over the defeated Reichstag, to the graves of defenders of the Fatherland buried at the Smolensk Fortress Wall.

The meeting ended with the ceremonial march of the Honor Guard Squadron.