Sergeyenko: Khatyn symbolises grief and genocide of Belarusian people

The Head of Belarus’ President Administration, Igor Sergeyenko, has attended a ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the Khatyn memorial complex today

“The Khatyn memorial complex is a tribute to the memory of every third Belarusian who died during the Great Patriotic War. This is a symbol of sorrow, the tragedy of the Belarusian people’s genocide,” Mr. Sergeyenko said.

According to the Head of the President Administration, Khatyn’s history is not unique, “During that war of the past, 628 villagers were burned alive by the fascists and their accomplices, and 186 have never been able to recover after the war. The soil from these different Belarusian places is now kept in Khatyn. This is a holy place. This is a monument to human tragedies. This is an eternal reminder of the crimes of Nazism and that we must protect the world. At present, the words of Iosif Kaminsky – who was among the survivors of the Khatyn tragedy – are relevant more than ever. He pronounced them on July 5th, 1969, when the memorial was unveiled: ‘People, never let this happen again’.