The heads of diplomatic missions of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan in Turkmenistan gathered in Ashgabat to honor those who lost their lives in the Great Patriotic War.
Ceremony held at 'Memorial Alley'
The event, held at 'Memorial Alley' on the grounds of the Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan, was also attended by clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church and students from the joint Russian-Turkmen school named after A. S. Pushkin.
Speaking before the ceremony, Russian Ambassador Ivan Volynkin said, "On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany and its European allies treacherously attacked the territory of our homeland. They wanted to subjugate our country quickly and establish their own order. But our people, the Soviet people, united, resisted, and won victory."
Highlighted distortion of history
Volynkin stated that this history must not be forgotten, adding, "Today, many are trying to rewrite history as they wish, to interpret it differently. They even go so far as to accuse the Soviet Union of a treacherous attack. But we know history, the truth, the facts, and our duty is to pass these truths on to our children and new generations. Not just so they remember, but so that such a thing never happens again."
The ambassador also called for special attention to veterans: "We honor the memory of those who did not return from the front, those who lost their lives in hospitals, and those who worked on the home front. Every year the number of our veterans dwindles, but we will give them primary importance. They speak little about those times, which is understandable. But we must show the highest level of attention and care to them, to these people who gave us life."
Wreath-laying and memorial prayer
As part of the ceremony, participants laid wreaths and observed a minute of silence in memory of the millions of citizens who perished. Hieromonk Aleksey Mikhaylov of the Russian Orthodox Church, serving as the rector of the Church of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky, performed a short memorial service (litya) for the dead.
Mikhaylov said, "Today we commemorate a tragic date in our shared history, which divides time into before and after, revealing the true nature of evil and the fraternal assistance of those who stood shoulder to shoulder for the sake of the Great Victory."
Turkmenistan's role in the war
During the Great Patriotic War, 300,000 citizens of Turkmenistan fought. Of these soldiers, 130,000 were awarded medals and orders, 104 received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and 15 became full holders of the 'Order of Glory'.
'Memorial Alley' was opened last year on the grounds of the Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Over 100 coniferous and deciduous trees were planted along the alley.
