Sacred deed

Remains of eight Red Army soldiers re-buried in Vitebsk District

By Lyudmila Overkina

An officer and seven ordinary soldiers killed near Vitebsk in winter 1944 have now found eternal rest, being ceremonially re-buried near the village of Luchinovka, in the Vitebsk District’s Voronovo Rural Council.

“Severe fighting took place in this area,” explains Anatoly Burdo, who heads Vitebsk’s Poisk (Search) military-patriotic club. “We’re working to discover the name of each missing person in the war, burying them with honours.”

So far, the club has detected over 130 people who were buried anonymously near Luchinovka, between December 1943 and January 1944. In commemoration, the Polotsk District lit lamps simultaneously on May 9th at each military grave, honouring those soldiers who gave their lives for victory. “In doing so, we were uniting the residents of the district. It covers a large territory, so lacks a single centre for meeting on Victory Day,” notes the Head of the Ideology Work Department at the Polotsk District Executive Committee, Olga Voroshkevich.

“There are 111 obelisks and memorial plaques in the district, with over 8,500 people buried. Yesterday, we honoured the memory of each one.”

Заметили ошибку? Пожалуйста, выделите её и нажмите Ctrl+Enter