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Investigative Committee Chairman takes part in festive events to mark victory in Great Patriotic War

Alexander Bastrykin, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee has today laid flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Moscow Kremlin’s Alexander Garden.

The delegation also included vice-chairmen of the Investigative Committee, Chair of the National Association of investigation veterans’ NGOs the Union of Investigation Veterans Vladimir Dontsov, head of the education office of the Investigative Committee and Hero of the Russian Federation Sergei Petrov, veterans, senior officials of the Investigative Committee’s Central Office, management of the Investigative Committee’s Academy and Alexander Nevsky Cadet School, cadets and students.

The Investigative Committee has also hosted a solemn meeting dedicated to the 72nd anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War attended by director of the State Academic Maly Theater of Russia and People’s Artist of the USSR Yuri Solomin, representatives of the Russian Union of Afghan War Veterans, veterans of the Great Patriotic War and investigative authorities, relatives of the Investigative Committee’s employees killed in the line of duty and other guests of honor, senior officials of the Investigative Committee, members of the Committee’s civic Council and cadets.

Opening the meeting, Mr. Bastrykin quoted Soviet front-line writer Boris Vasilyev, one of whose characters said that “memory of one’s ancestors is not enumerating their victories, but the memory about the way they had to go to achieve those victories.” Reminding about the tradition of Immortal Regiment march, Mr. Bastrykin said that “the power of the victorious nation is so great that enemies dread of even dead soldiers.” He pointed out that some countries are trying hard to prevent the march: “The other day mass media reported that Ukrainian nationalists were ready to disrupt the march due to take place on 9 May in Kiev. Descendants of Hitler’s collaborators claim that the event which originated in Russia is dangerous. However, during the Great Patriotic War both Russians and Ukrainians, as well as other Soviet nations, defended their common homeland side by side, covered each other from bullets and shrapnel, shared the last piece of bread and sip of water. None of them thought about the nationality of their brothers in arms.”

The Chairman stressed that “some post-Soviet countries supported by European nations are now making efforts to rewrite the history of the fraternal coexistence of the Soviet nations. Cynicism of those trying to reshape the history of our country is astonishing. Some of them claim that it was the Soviet Union who waged World War II and basically made Fascist Germany strike a preventive blow. Others suggest that we should stop recollecting the events of the war, because so many years passed and this memory prevents us from integrating in the international community along with other nations. Significantly, consigning the war to oblivion is as serious a crime, as waging it. Attempts to rehabilitate Nazi criminals and their collaborators are an outrageous blasphemy of the memory of millions of people. There are no statutes of limitation that can hush down the voices of the killed or dull the vigilance of the survivors.”

Mr. Bastrykin also noted the importance of the activities of the All-Russian NGO Outstanding Military and Navy Commanders of the Fatherland which “clearly shows the real truth about the war, greatness of the feat accomplished by our people, soldiers, officers and outstanding commanders.”

Speaking to the veterans of the Great patriotic War and of the investigative authorities, the Chairman expressed sincere gratitude for their active participation in training the staff of the Investigative Committee and in patriotic education of Russian citizens.

Yuri Solomin and Vladimir Dontsov also congratulated the present.

The event was continued by a concert involving the Song and Dance Company of the Special Airspace Forces, Young Artists of the Alexandrov Company, as well as bands of cadet schools of the Investigative Committee and Investigative Committee’s Academy.

The Chairman awarded the veterans of the Great Patriotic War and investigative authorities medals and presents. For helping the Investigative Committee, active work in patriotic and moral education of the young generation, loyalty to the traditions of the Russian investigation, Valentin Kukharchuk and Yuri Potyomkin were awarded the medal for Loyalty to the Duty, Sergei Samoilov the medal for Valor and Courage, Vladimir Ladeishchikov, Anatoly Ladychuk and Sergei Tyurin for the medal For Distinguished Services.

Mr. Bastrykin congratulated all those in attendance on the Day of the Great Victory and wished them happiness, wellbeing and peace.

Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee                                                                    S.L. Petrenko