The truth of ordinary Europeans

The Czech delegation laid wreaths and flowers at the grave of tankman Ivan Mirenkov in Minsk

Monuments to Soviet soldiers are being demolished in the European Union, and, perhaps, only local politicians are happy about this fact. Ordinary Europeans have their own truth. They honour the memory of those who liberated their countries, cities and villages during the Great Patriotic War. Therefore, the event that took place last Friday at the Eastern Cemetery in Minsk can be justifiably called as prominent. On the eve of the Day of Tankmen, which was celebrated in Belarus last Sunday, wreaths were laid here at the grave of Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Mirenkov. In addition to the military, veterans and youth, the ceremony was attended by... Czechs, residents of the very village of Starovice, which in April 1945 was liberated by a platoon of a young Soviet tankman.

Monument in the village of Starovice (Czech Republic)

So, Ivan Mirenkov, commanding a platoon of T-34-85 tanks consisting of three vehicles, unraveled the enemy’s plan and attacked the enemy from the flanks near the Czech village of Starovice on April 16th, 1945. As it turned out, the Germans had nine tanks and self-propelled guns, and several anti-tank guns stood in ambush. Despite this, skillfully using the fog, Mirenkov’s platoon was able to destroy six enemy vehicles. The tank of Ivan Mirenkov himself knocked out three Panthers, one self-propelled gun and two guns. All three Soviet vehicles, alas, were also hit, but thanks to their feat, the road was cleared of the enemy and our tank brigade was able to capture the town of Hustopeče. 
 The Head of the Memory of Afghanistan Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Soldiers-Internationalists Alexander Metla asks a question, “Who is Ivan Mirenkov? A native of the Smolensk Region, who spent almost two years in the occupation. He was a partisan, and then he went to the front, where he was a reconnaissance operative, earned several medals ‘For Courage’ and the Order of the Red Star. After the second wound, he was sent to a tank school, where he received the rank of junior lieutenant. At the front he was appointed platoon commander. His first fight became heroic.”
It’s already past. No matter how hard Western politicians try, no matter what Western propaganda says, it is impossible to forget about this and other similar exploits. It is not the first visit of the head of the military history club from the Czech Starovice Radek Garašta to our country. His position is clear: people should know where their heroes are buried and take care of the graves.
“Ivan Mirenkov is the most famous tankman in the South Moravian Region. We still remember his feat and continue to honour his memory. We want your President to know about it too,” he notes.
However he is honored not in words, but in fact. People take special care of the T-34-85 tank No. 200 and the graves of Soviet tankmen who died in that battle in Czech Starovice. And this is the most revealing answer to the question of how the inhabitants of the Czech Republic in general and South Moravian Region in particular react to
the demolition of Soviet monuments.
 Radek Garašta does not hide his emotions, “They only react with bad expressions, because it is wrong. 
The voice of the authorities is not always the voice of ordinary people. We don’t forget who freed us. We know where the truth is, and we show it to people. However, ordinary people remember that properly. This story was passed down in their families from generation to generation.”
For which a special, sincere thank you sounds from the Belarusian military to the Czechs.
“In the person of Ivan Mirenkov, we pay tribute to those who forged the Victory on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War and glorified tank troops. Both during the war and after its end,” summarises Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Major General Valery Gnilozub. 
The events that are taking place in the world at the moment show that tank troops have not lost their relevance. On the contrary, they are the main striking force of the ground forces. Unfortunately, recently in many countries of the world, primarily at the suggestion of the United States of America, they are trying to revise the results of the Great Patriotic War. We are witnessing the demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers in Poland, the Baltic countries, and Ukraine. It’s nice that our Czech comrades honour this memory, protect tank No. 200 on the mound, and prevent it from being destroyed. As long as we remember those who gave their lives, we will also be remembered. 
This event is held primarily for the younger generation. Young people should know and honour our history. Moreover, it should be taught by the examples of people who performed heroic deeds during the Great Patriotic War and later.
…A reconstruction of the battle of the Great Patriotic War was held in memory of the feat near Starovice on the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex on the weekend. It was dedicated to the feat of the tankmen of the platoon of Ivan Mirenkov. Schoolchildren from Minsk gymnasium No. 18 took the initiative to name their educational institution after this Hero of the Soviet Union during the wreath-laying ceremony.

Flash facts
• 30 years after the end of the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Mirenkov returned to the place of his feat 30 years after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It turned out that when he was taken to the hospital, and the village was liberated from the Germans, the local boys ran to watch the destroyed ‘cats’. One of them even took a camera. Decades later, local historians became interested in these pictures, and they found a tank hero. A note in a front-line newspaper for 1945 helped in this, where the name of the tank commander Mirenkov was mentioned. The monument near the village of Starovice was erected for the 30th anniversary of the tank battle. 
• Ivan Mirenkov has seven godchildren in the South Moravian Region who have great respect for their heroic ancestor.
• Ivan Mirenkov continued to serve in the tank troops after the war — in the Far East and in our country. After being transferred to the reserve, he remained in Minsk and worked in the structure of DOSAAF. He was extremely active in the patriotic education of youth.

By Dmitry Umpirovich