Immortal memory of Donbass
Probably not news the fact that in Donetsk 9 May passed the Victory Parade. And this is despite the threats from Kiev, as well as an attempt by OSCE observers to ban it. (On this occasion, the Head of the Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko sarcastically remarked: “We do not forbid them to hold gay parades”). Nor will the news that in Donetsk, like in many other cities of the world, the legendary “Immortal Regiment” passed - it would, on the contrary, be strange if the city — the outpost of the Russian world — would not have joined this action, which had already become actually worldwide.
But what can be called news and surprise - that people in the procession "Immortal Regiment" went and went - it seemed like an endless column ... It took me more than an hour to wait for the end of this long column, which ran along the main street of the city - Artyom Street.
But first things first. From early morning many people rushed to the place of the parade. There were so many people that all the transport going to the center of the city was overcrowded - we had to pass through several buses. Many went on foot. This time the weather favored the great holiday - it was mostly sunny and warm, only in the second half of the day, after the main events, the rain began to drizzle slightly. The Donetsk team recalled in their conversations the previous holiday - the Victory's 70 jubilee - when everyone was soaked to the skin, and this time they were enjoying the good weather. Many were with children.
Balconies on the street Artem - decorated with the banners of the DNI and Russia. On both sides of the street lined up citizens. The whole area of Lenin was tightly packed with people.
“On May 9, 1945, our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers completed the liberation campaign with the victorious assault on Berlin and the capture of the Reichstag. The most terrible enemy ever threatening humanity was defeated. This historical victory changed the course of history, became a symbol of heroism, valor and unparalleled courage of our multinational people. Today we, the inhabitants of Donbass, have again entered into a merciless battle with Nazism. The enemy is at our gates. Once again, hard trials fell to our people. But we withstood the tough struggle, defending our right to speak our native language, to honor the memory of our ancestors and our traditions, ”said the Head of the Republic Alexander Zakharchenko to the people, wishing the young state to overcome all obstacles and build a free and prosperous country .
When military equipment was driving down Artem Street, people warmly welcomed each crew, throwing flowers.
(The following five photos were sent to me by friends who managed to penetrate the solid sea of people into the very center of events - on Lenin Square. For the path of technology was longer than the road of the marching soldiers).
And almost immediately after the parade, I did not have time to smoke the smoke from heavy equipment, - the endlessly long column of the Immortal Regiment went.
In addition to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, the “Immortal Regiment” recalled the soldiers-internationalists, and the fighters who fell for the DPR. Their portraits carried in columns.
All day in Donetsk were folk festivals. Especially - in the park to them. Shcherbakov and on Pushkin Boulevard are the most favorite places of the townspeople. Field kitchens treated passers-by to porridge. Artists of the Republic gave people songs of the front years.
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It should be remembered that the holiday was held in a rather alarming situation. In recent days, since May, there have been fewer attacks, but the war, though “behind the scenes”, has not gone away. At his briefing, Eduard Basurin said that the enemy’s sabotage group attempted to spoil Victory Day and carry out a terrorist act - to undermine the fuel and lubricant storage. However, as Basurin said, “by coordinated actions of servicemen carrying guard duty, this attack was prevented. No one will succeed in denigrating this sacred holiday in memory of the feats of our fathers and grandfathers who put all their strength on the altar of the Great Victory. ”
He also said that along the contact line, the enemy continues to concentrate heavy weapons.
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From the very beginning of May, many events related to the 71 anniversary of the Great Victory took place in Donetsk. Laying flowers at monuments and mass graves, art exhibitions, numerous concerts, a crowded rally of 7 in May at Saur-Grave, lessons of courage ... There is nothing to mention. I would like to tell you about two spiritual events that took place on the eve of 9 May in the wounded Kiev district of Donetsk.
5 May, on the Day of printing, a solemn ruler took place near the monument “They did not return to the editorial office”. This memorial is located on Kievsky Prospect, near the building of the publishing house "Donetskina" and is dedicated to the memory of journalists who died on the fronts. The building itself was hit by shelling. A small fragment fell into the monument, leaving a rusty scar on the manly face of the front-line journalist. This sad trail was not specifically removed.
Veterans of Donetsk journalism and future young employees of the pen and camera - now students - brought flowers to the monument. Perhaps in the near future, the memorial will be replenished with another granite slab - in memory of those journalists who died in the 21 century, highlighting the truth about the actions of the Kiev junta in the Donbas.
On May 7, at the broken Tochmash plant, veterans, schoolchildren and sympathetic citizens came to the monument to the employees of this large enterprise who died during the Great Patriotic War. They came to one of the most problematic places in Donetsk - not far from the front line. Stood in the pouring rain. The occasion was joyful - the monument that was damaged during the shelling was restored.
The Donbass keeps the sacred memory of the Great Patriotic War, Donbass remembers its heroes and during this difficult time does everything to preserve great traditions and continue the feats of those who rushed to attack in the distant forties. And, of course, with a huge pain in their hearts, the residents of the Republic perceive messages from Ukraine, where neo-Nazis attack those who still dare to go to actions like the Immortal Regiment.
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