Lukashenko: memory of Great Patriotic War heroes lives in Belarus, being passed down from generation to generation, from heart to heart
Belarusians must do everything to carry the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War through the centuries – as stated by President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko at a military parade in honour of the 80th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders on July 3rd
“Today our country is solemnly celebrating its main state holiday: Independence Day,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Exactly eighty years ago, on July 3rd, 1944, the last battles for the capital of our Belarus fell silent, but these volleys still echo in our historical memory. We know that we must do everything to carry this memory through the centuries. There is a lot of pain and suffering, patience and courage, heroic deeds and the triumph of justice. This historical memory contains hundreds of thousands of names of heroes. This is the strength of the nation of the heirs of the winners.”
According to the President, the future of many peoples was being decided here, on the Belarusian land.
“Fascists recruited from all over Europe and soldiers of the great multinational Red Army faced head-on in this fateful battle. It was a battle for the freedom and future of our people, for the freedom and future of the peoples of the entire continent. It was a sure step towards Great Victory. Celebrating Independence Day on July 3rd, we pay tribute to the memory of the Soviet soldiers who stood to death in the Brest Fortress, near Minsk and Mogilev, Polotsk and Gomel, Orsha and Bykhov, alongside countless other large and small frontiers to the capital of our Motherland: Moscow. We admire the willpower of Soviet women, the elderly and children who fought alongside men and worked in the rear, providing the front. We bow our heads before the bright memory of the peaceful victims and fallen heroes. These are millions of people. This is the terrible price of our freedom and independence. We admire the great generals Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Rokossovsky, as well as our countryman, Army General Antonov, the main developer of the plan for the strategic offensive Operation Bagration. Its entire course — from conception and preparation in unprecedented secrecy to the active phase — is an example of high military art and one of the most heroic pages of the Great Patriotic War,” the Head of State underlined.
