MOSCOW: Putin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin Wall. At exactly 12:15 Moscow time on June 22, residents of the Union heard the radio broadcast of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Today, at this very hour, a minute of silence is observed nationwide on Remembrance and Sorrow Day. Memorial events are taking place across the country.
For Vladimir Putin, this is also a sacred and sorrowful day. The war affected the president's family, as it probably did all families in our country. The son of a front-line soldier, he lost his older brother during the Siege of Leningrad.
"For the Soviet people, this war was a terrible blow in the back. And it was with the attack on the USSR that the bloodiest phase of World War II began – a catastrophe that divided the 20th century into two halves: before and after the war. The fascist aggression against our country was the most brutal. Its goal was not only to crush the will, not only to enslave, but also to destroy an entire people. For our Motherland, June 22 became a day that tested the strength of the national spirit. A day that demonstrated the unity of all the peoples of the Soviet Union," the president said.
And every year on June 22, he comes to the Alexander Garden to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This was the case again – on the 85th anniversary of the start of the war. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov participated in the memorial ceremony alongside the head of state.
Soldiers of the Honor Guard Company placed a wreath of red roses and carnations in front of the Eternal Flame, accompanied by a mournful march. The president knelt to adjust the ribbon on the wreath. The Russian leader also laid bouquets of red carnations at the monuments honoring the eleven hero cities and the Brest Hero Fortress. He bowed to each hero city.
The ceremony concluded with a march of the Moscow Garrison's honor guard company. Representatives of the main branches of the armed forces—motorized infantry, pilots, and sailors—stood in step to the solemn melody of the war years. They continue the glorious military traditions of their heroic ancestors who defended their country during the Great Patriotic War.
A solemn ceremony was held in the Alexander Garden, bringing together combat veterans, representatives of the armed forces, and graduates of military academies. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov also joined the participants, laying flowers at the Eternal Flame.
Combat veterans, service members, and graduates of military academies took part in the ceremony. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov also laid flowers at the Eternal Flame. Following the ceremony, Vladimir Putin spoke briefly with him.
Add comment
Comments