Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, the progress of work on the creation of a camp and memorial complex on Shumshu was inspected. The Kuril Island was visited by Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Denis Andreyev and First Deputy Governor of the Sakhalin Region Sergei Baidakov.
“Shumshu is a significant page in our history. In fact, World War II ended on this island. Our soldiers defeated superior enemy forces and demonstrated mass heroism. At the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a military-historical memorial complex dedicated to the Kuril landing operation is being created on the island. It will perpetuate the feat of the Red Army soldiers who, in August 1945, at the cost of their lives, snatched victory from a superior enemy – the Imperial Japanese Army,” said Yuri Trutnev.
A search expedition will be launched on July 1st. About 100 patriots from different regions of Russia will take part in it. An expedition of such a scale has never been conducted on the island. Thanks to this, many fallen heroes will find a name and will be buried with military honors.
“We have assessed the readiness to open the search camp and memorial complex. The work is proceeding at a good pace. Shumshu Island is a heroic place where one of the most important battles took place, which put an end to World War II. Here you can literally touch history, and thanks to the implementation of the project on the instructions of the President, young people from different regions of Russia will soon have such an opportunity. A large-scale search expedition is also ready to begin work, which, I am sure, will open many heroic pages in the history of our country,” Denis Andreev noted.
“The camp is now almost 100% deployed. On June 30 and July 1, the participants of the search expedition will arrive. The reenactors’ camp will be deployed in the area of Mys Kurbatov. Sappers from the Eastern Military District and specialists from the Pacific Fleet are currently working there, and the military is also tidying up the lighthouse. We assess the readiness as high. Everything is on schedule, but the task is very ambitious. Every day we solve many issues related to equipment, materials, and logistics. But we will do everything to ensure that the order of the head of state Vladimir Putin to perpetuate the feat of the participants of the Kuril landing operation is fulfilled. Our governor Valery Limarenko also puts this task as a priority,” said Sergey Baidakov.
Sakhalin searchers have already begun reconnaissance work on the island.
“Spring came early this year, the weather is good, and the mood is fighting. The goal of the reconnaissance is to find the supposed places of death of the soldiers, mark the points on the ground. And when all the searchers arrive, we will conduct targeted excavations. We have already managed to find buttons from military uniforms, personal belongings of soldiers. We are studying all the finds and working with them,” said Artem Bandura, head of the regional branch of the Search Movement of Russia.
Shumshu is also currently preparing to welcome youth tourist groups. Participants in patriotic movements from different parts of Russia will see with their own eyes the places where history unfolded and will become ambassadors of this Far Eastern victory in their regions.
The first group is expected to arrive on July 15. Each day the children will have a schedule – lectures, meetings with historians, writers and SVO members, walks along tourist trails, search work.
“We are developing four tourist routes called “Roads of Shumshu Island”. The longest one is a ring route – 50 km. It goes through the entire island and through the most iconic battle sites. There are also three radial routes from 5 to 8.5 km long, so that groups can comfortably move around the island and touch history,” said Artem Lazarev, Minister of Tourism of the Sakhalin Region.
Let us recall that the key events dedicated to the opening of the memorial complex – the competition in sports triathlon “Height 171” and military-historical reconstruction – will take place in the second half of August, on the day of the beginning of the Kuril landing operation. About 150 people from two dozen regions of Russia and friendly countries will take part in the reconstruction.
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