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Alexander Bastrykin visits St. Petersburg War veterans hospital to congratulate veterans on the past Victory Day

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia Alexander Bastrykin visited St. Petersburg War veterans hospital and took part in celebratory events dedicated to the past Day of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. It was also attended by the head of Educational Outreach Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia Sergey Petrov, head of War veterans hospital Maxim Kabanov, hospital workers,  heads of investigative  departments located in North-Western Federal District, direction and students of St. Petersburg educational institutions and Cultural Centre of the Committee.

Alexander Bastrykin placed flowers to the stela "To victorious warriors of all times" that was installed in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and to commemorative plaque for workers of St. Petersburg War veterans hospital who died in the struggle with Covid-19 pandemic.

In his welcoming address Alexander Bastrykin congratulated everyone on the past holiday of the Victory of the multinational Soviet people in the struggle against German fascist invaders and specially noted devastating consequences of this war for the Soviet Union and its people. Together with the veterans the head of the Committee recalled the tragic events, the heroism, nobility and courage of all warriors and home front workers during the Great Patriotic War. He reminded that investigative departments of the Investigative Committee of Russia are investigating a number of probes into crimes committed by Nazi during the Great Patriotic War, including those committed in the North-Western Federal District where remains of innocent civilian victims have been found. "We all know that the Soviet people lost 27 million of people in this war. But not everyone remembers that almost 20 million of them were civilians: senior people, women, children. Today we are establishing these facts by working in archives and on grave sites; we have launched several probes into extermination of civilians under relevant articles", Alexander Bastrykin underlined. He noted that this work is important both for identification of the guilty and for preserving of our genuine history, since we shall not forget about feats of our heroes, memories about which shall be passed from generation to generation to foster love and respect to the Homeland and its history in our children.

Alexander Bastrykin thanked the present veterans for their contribution to the Victory and wished them strong health and long years of life. He also thanked the doctors for their hard, responsible and selfless work, especially in the present complex epidemiological environment. Patients - residents of besieged Leningrad were awarded medals "Valor and courage". The head of the Committee awarded medals "For contribution" to the head of the hospital and a number of its workers.

Workers of the Cultural Centre of the Investigative Committee of Russia prepared a concert for the audience and veterans treated in the hospital with participation of inmates and students of educational institutions of the Committee.

After the ceremonial part of the event the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia had a conversation with hospital patients to ask about their well-being and assure them that the Committee is ready to provide them with help and support in any situation.

Maxim Kabanov also carried out a short guided tour through the institution for the guests and, in conclusion, thanked the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the event and noted that such meetings create holiday spirit and help to keep up the moral and will to live of the hospital inmates and benefit their soon recovery.