Meeting Victory Day Eve

27 April 2011

On April 27, 2011, the International Advisory Council of Reserve Officers Organizations hosted an official reception dedicated to the Victory in the World War II and Great Patriotic War, as well as to the 10th anniversary of the Public Acknowledgement Forum.

The reception was attended by distinguished officers, veterans, academics and culture figures, members of the Military Philosophical Society, ambassadors and military attachés, namely from CIS, Baltic states, Europe, Africa.

«We see our main task to support those who serve their country with heart and soul. We promise them our public support which is expressed in acknowledgment of their merits by the public», said Mr. Evgeny Velikhov, Member of Russian Academy of Science, Chairman of the Public Chamber of Russian Federation and head of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center. According to Mr. Velikhov, today our society lacks altruism and mutual readiness to help which lead to degradation of the civilization. «Communication between the civil society and officers who do their soldier’s duty and often sacrifice their health and even lives for the country, may become a cementing fundamental for our future spiritual development and keeping peace. And consolidation of reserve officers from different countries is seen as an important and necessary step towards it», Mr. Evgeny Velikhov said. At the meeting to was noted that protection of true about history of the war and its continuing research are necessary. «Without care of history, memory and deeds of fathers no state will have future», Soviet Marshall Dmitry Yazov, Chairman of Officer Assembly of the Megapir Association, Inspector General of Russian Ministry of Defense said. He believes that veterans of the Great Patriotic War do not know boundaries between them because they are united by combat camaraderie.

Other Great Patriotic War veterans were speaking about importance to spare historical heritage for the youths: Artillery Marshal Vladimir Mikhalkin, President of the Officers’ Fraternity Fund, Admiral Alexey Sorokin, Chairman of Coordination Council of Commonwealth of Independent States’ Veteran Public Organizations, Colonel General Mikhail Popkov, Chairman of the board of the Officers’ Fraternity Fund, Major General Stepan Tyushkevich, Chairman of Council of Military Philosophical Society, professor of military history.

Mr. Alexander Kanshin, Chairman of Board of Directors of the Megapir Association, Deputy Chairman of Public Chamber of the Ministry of Defense is convinced that, «Today for our children the Great Patriotic War is somewhat a faraway past. By exploiting this fact some politicians and pseudoresearchers are trying to tailor the history for their own agenda, to diminish the heroic victories of our fathers. Therefore it is the task of reserve officers and whole society to draw attention of the foreign colleagues to the contribution of the Red Army to the victory. According to him, «Huge combat experience of our veterans if of great importance for enhancing prestige of military service, patriotism, consolidation of nation and strengthening Russian statehood as a whole». Mr. Alexander Kanshin stressed that, «Attention of the government and public to those who defeated fascism undoubtedly strengthens spirit and morale of active militaries, and which is important, today with all hardships and difficulties connected with ongoing reforming of the armed forces».

«You know that during the war the Soviet Union sustained heavy causalities, about 30 million lives were lost. And for children it was not easy either, they underwent terrible ordeals. The Victory Day is rejoiced at with tears by every Russian family, and we will always honor the deeds of our dear veterans», said Mr. Alexander Kanshin.

«Around the world reserved officers do vast contribution into politics, public activities to include humanitarian and economical areas. We Russian reserve officers set to our-selves the task to bring up physically and morally healthy generation worthy of our father’s glory», he stressed. «Honoring our veterans we would like to ask you to give our best regards and bow to veterans in your countries», said Mr. Kanshin addressing to the foreign diplomats. «We will always remember their deeds and contribution to our common Victory, we will venerate memory of all fallen and be grateful to those who survived», he said and expressed his gratitude to the German people for delicate and respectful care of the Soviet soldiers’ graves. Mr. Anatoly Kumakhov, Executive Secretary of the International Advisory Council of Reserve Officers Organizations, briefed the attendees about this organization and its prospects. Namely, he told that the Council had been established on March 18, 2011, as a result of lessons learned from a number of big events in Europe, Asia, Africa, America which had been held by Megapir since 1997, and later together with the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and the Academy of Military Science.

«The first meeting of the International Advisory Council will take place on the 15th June, 2011, in Moscow», said Mr. Kumakhov.

Mr. Kanshin added that «uniting of reserve officers on international level is intended to contribute to countering extremism and terrorism, to promote friendship and public diplomacy between different states, respect to the older generation and work with the youths». «Moreover, reserve officers may play a significant role in preventing global disasters like Chernobyl one and tragedy in Japan, as well as in providing relief effort», he noted. The head of Megapir expressed his hope for further productive cooperation and activities in the framework of the International Advisory Council of Reserve Officers Organizations. On behalf of reserve officers he extended his greetings to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War and presented them flowers and gifts.

In his turn Mr. Boris Samsonov, Executive Director of the Public Acknowledgement Forum said that «foundation of the Forum was well-timed and necessary for the society because it is based on the ideas of humanism, moral ideals, respect to veterans of war and labor, revival of moral ideals which many generations of our fellow citizens were brought up with." According to Mr. Samsonov, for the past decade the Forum has become one of the most well-known, proactive and influential organizations in Russia and CIS countries.

Mr. A. A. Kanshin, a reserve officer and Head of the Megapir Group greeted the veterans in English and Russian, and thanked the members of diplomatic corps for having taken their time to visit the Darya-Strogino shopping center which was built by reserve officers. He stressed that the Victory Day remains the happiest and greatest holiday for all our citizens. «The Victory was won by united efforts of our countries, and today we also have common goals», stressed Mr. A.Kanshin.

Ambassador of Slovakia to Russia Yozef Migash said that «we must be particularly careful and delicate to the history of the World War II and to those who defeated fascism in fierce and bloody fight».

«You are our national heroes and liberators», he said when addressing to the veterans. Ambassador Migash expressed his confidence in «further intense development of international cooperation of reserve officers lest the tragic history of war should repeat in future». Mr. Evgeny Tyazhelnikov, PhD in history, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, ex-Secretary of the VLKSM Central Committee reminded of the great role, self-sacrifice and persistence of the Soviet youths in winning the Victory of fascism. Military attachés of foreign countries were presented with commemorative tokens of the Officer Assembly of the Megapir Association by Mr. Dmitry Yazov and Mr. Evgeny Velikhov.

Colonel Jorn Lemann, Air Attaché of Germany to Russia, noted that «today Russia-Germany relationships are closer than ever, and, undoubtedly, this is very helpful to further rapprochement of reserve officers of both countries». Col. Lemann confirmed Germany’s commitment to cooperative work in the interest of reserve officers and veterans.

Colonel Erlan Makimov, Military Attaché of Republic of Kazakhstan to Russia believes that «participation of organizations of Kazakhstan reserve officers in the International Advisory Council is a milestone». He expressed his confidence that this it would be beneficial for enhancement of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between reserve officers of different countries. Mr. Yazov and Mr. Popkov presented their books with compliment inscriptions to the foreign guests. The diplomats and military attachés noted that those books were particularly interesting. «We are really honored to receive these books from their authors who are prominent commanding generals, genuine trench officers», they stressed.

The meeting participants were also offered materials on Russian reserve officers’ activities at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, Public Acknowledgement Forum, The Voyenno-Filosofsky Zhurnal (Military Philosophical Magazine), The Ofitsersky Splav (Officers’ Alloy) paper, International Advisory Council newsletter, The Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) paper, as well as product of the Megapir Publishing House and International Advisory Council.

The guests could take an opportunity to visit the Megapir Association Museum and photo exhibition dedicated to the activities exercised by International Advisory Council of Reserve Officers Organizations.

As a reminder, the Public Acknowledgement Forum was founded in 2001. Its Supreme Council included a number of Russian prominent flag officers, people of science and culture. During ten years of its existence the Forum awarded more than 37 thousand people (including over 300 Heroes of Soviet Union, Socialistic Labor, Russia) as well as military units, companies and creative teams that contributed significantly to might and prosperity of Russia, enhancement of peace and friendship between nations. The Forum’s Diploma and decoration have become honorable awards both in the Russian Federation and in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, Asia, America and Africa.

In 2005, 2008 and 2010 the Supreme Council of the Public Acknowledgement Forum and National Association of organizations of reserve officers (MEGAPIR) arranged for All-Russia events to honor and award the Great Patriotic War veterans, veterans of labor, Leningrad blockade survivors with the Forum diploma and decoration with more than 20 thousands veterans awarded.

These events in which heads of all republics and regions took part, became a gratitude to the veterans for their courage and heroism displayed during the war, as well as for self-less labor in post-war years. Among those awarded with the Forum diploma and decoration were: seaborn trooper Ekaterina Demina, Gold Star of the Hero of Soviet Union; Sergeant-Major Victor Konyaev, full Order of Glory; Lieutenant General Mikhail Kalashnikov, two Gold Stars of the Hero of Socialistic Labor, Gold Star of the Hero of Russia, prominent arms designer; Ms. Zoya Shvetsova, veteran of guerilla in Smolensk region, Lenin Order; Mr. Amir Amayev, PhD in engineering, Lenin Award; Mr. Sergy Skudin, veteran of labor in nuclear industry; Mr. Gennady Pushkin, two Gold Stars of the Hero of Socialistic Labor, assembly-fitter of Tula arms factory, sixty five years of service; Mr. Victor Shuvalov, Olympic Games Winner, during the war worked as metal turner at well-known Chelyabinsk tractor factory. The Diploma No1 was awarded to Yury Alexeyevich Gagarin by the Forum’s Supreme Council’s decision dated April 06, 2011. Several hundred companies, public organizations, higher education institutes, culture organizations, military units were awarded by the Forum. For example, the personnel of the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, the 503rd Guard Motorized Rifle Fastovsky Regiment, 112th Guard Novorossiysk Missile Brigade, 27th Guard Motorized Rifle Omsko-Novobug Division, North Caucasian Military District. During international events in Egypt, Slovakia and Norway the Forum’s diplomas were presented to antifascist veterans, foreign veteran organizations, museums, history institutes to include the Alexandrian Library as a world culture treasury which made gigantic contribution to preservation of world culture heritage and unity of nations.

Kazakhstan Military Attaché Colonel Erlan Makimov and Ukrainian Military Attaché Colonel Igor Ostapenko in interview to the Russian Pervy Kanal (First Channel) told about basic areas of military cooperation with Russia. The event was concluded with group photo.