In Arkhangelsk, celebrations were held on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the memorial “Memory Square”

The commemorative ceremony was attended by veterans, representatives of the regional government and the public.

The memorial at the Kuznechev cemetery was opened on October 19, 1991. His story began with the reburial of the remains of 16 soldiers who died in Afghanistan. Later, more than 40 soldiers killed in the fighting in the North Caucasus were buried here.

The initiator of the complex was the Arkhangelsk Regional Public Charitable Organization “Duty”. According to its head Alexander Leletko, for 35 years the memorial has become not only a place of memory of the fallen countrymen, but also a space that unites generations.

- We started with a simple desire to repay the debt to the guys who did not return from the war. Today “Memory Square” is a place where our common history lives, said Alexander Leletko.

Over time, the memorial complex expanded, reflecting different pages of the country's history. In 2014, a memorial sign dedicated to the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident was transferred here. The border post and anchor became symbols of respect for the border guards and sailors. Each of these elements reminds of people who served the Motherland and performed their duty in different circumstances.

The preservation of the memorial and the transfer of historical memory to the next generations remain an important part of the work of social activists. The importance of this activity was noted by Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Arkhangelsk region Igor Skubenko.

Memorial “Memory Square” is a sacred place for all residents of Pomerania, where we pay tribute to those who at the cost of their lives fulfilled their duty to the Motherland. It is very important that there are people in Arkhangelsk who have been preserving this memory for decades, taking care of the memorial and passing on the historical truth to the younger generation, said Igor Skubenko.

During the memorial ceremony, the activists of the organization “Duty” were noted with letters of gratitude for many years of conscientious work and personal contribution to preserving the memory of the defenders of the Motherland.

The event ended with a minute of silence and laying flowers at the memorial in memory of the fallen defenders of the Fatherland.