The longest war of the Soviet armed forces abroad is connected with the military presence in Afghanistan (December 1979 - February 1989). In total, Soviet and Russian soldiers participated in 21 armed conflicts, commonly referred to as hot spots. The wars claimed 30 thousand lives full of strength and desires of people, many of whom died heroic deaths. Only Afghanistan gave the country 92 Heroes of the Soviet Union.
From hushing up and limiting information about hostilities, the state moved on to glorifying and legitimizing the participation of the Soviet and Russian military in conflicts of other countries. Today, there is no settlement where a monument to the soldiers-internationalists has not been erected, where close and simply caring people can come on memorial days to honor the memory of the dead.
Monument on Poklonnaya Hill
One of the most grandiose memorials is conceived in Victory Park (Moscow city), on Poklonnaya Hill. The opening of the monument to soldiers-internationalists took place in 2004, on the anniversary date (commissioningtroops in Afghanistan). The bronze figure of a warrior in camouflage, peering into the distance at the foot of the mountain, symbolizes a soldier doing his military duty. His four-meter figure is visible from afar: he holds a machine gun in his right hand, and a helmet in his left. A battle scene is depicted on a bronze bas-relief on a red granite pedestal.
It is interesting that the monument was created at the expense of veteran organizations of former Afghans and their personal contributions. The Government of Moscow also took part, but the large-scale project was not fully implemented to the end. Sculptors S. A. and S. S. Shcherbakov, architects Yu. and S. Grigoriev have plans to create a memorial complex of three zones: the soldier represents the first of them - the zone of Feat. But additional territories of Sorrow and Blessed Memory with a bronze figure of an angel are supposed. On 55 steles, resembling mountain ranges, there will be installed tablets with the names of all those who died in local wars.
Other Russian monuments to soldiers-internationalists: photo, brief description
Ekaterinburg, Black Tulip. The idea of a stylized space of an aircraft flying with a “cargo 200” and going down in history under the name “Black Tulip” (the name of a funeral home on the territory of Uzbekistan) belongs to the architect-sculptor A. N. Serov. In the center is a seated soldier with a machine gun. Behind him are pylons with 242 names of fellow countrymen who did not return from Afghanistan. If the height of a soldier is 4.7 meters, then the pylons are directed upwards by 10 meters. The metal monument to the soldiers-internationalists was solemnly opened in 1995, but at the beginning of the 2000s it was supplementedmemorial to fallen soldiers in the North Caucasus by decision of veteran organizations
Memorial in St. Petersburg. A whole park of Internationalists was created in the northern capital, where in 1998 the sculptor N. Gordievsky and the architect N. Tarasova erected a stone and metal memorial in memory of the dead Afghans. It is opened by the figure of the Grieving Mother, slightly taller than human height (280 cm, including the pedestal) made of pink granite. Behind her are the figures of two fighters among two granite stelae in the form of rocks. Left and right - five similar stone slabs with the names of the dead Petersburgers. The stepped approach to the main monument, as it were, ex alts the feat of the soldiers mourned by their mother
Dedicated to the Winged Infantry
There are monuments built not at the expense of veteran organizations, but by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation. Such a document was signed by V. V. Putin in 2002 to perpetuate the feat of the 6th company of Russian paratroopers, who almost completely died in the battle near Ulus-Kert in March 2002. Height 776 responds with pain in the heart of every caring person. On it, 90 conscripts for 19 hours held back a 2,000-strong gang of separatists trying to get out of the encirclement through the Argun Gorge. Luckily, only six survived. 22 guardsmen were presented to the star of the Hero, 69 were awarded the Order of Courage. The monument in their honor is called the "Dome" and is located in Cheryokha (near Pskov), where the 104th air assault unit is stationed.colonel.
Created by architect Anatoly Tsarik (Pskov), the "Dome" symbolizes a parachute, the lines of which rest on a pedestal. It is made in the form of a mountain peak and consists of four faces. Their trapezoidal slabs recreate the shape of the George Cross. 84 names of paratrooper heroes are immortalized here. The children's autographs are fixed on the snow-white inner part of the dome, and the star of the Hero of Russia crowns the outer dome. The central axis is made in the form of 84 commemorative candles that light up orange in the dark. This is a touching and beautiful sight, because the monument to the fallen soldiers-internationalists stands near the federal highway.
Instead of afterword
A website dedicated to the memory of Afghan soldiers called "Black Tulip" has been created on the Internet. It collects bit by bit materials about all those who passed away and died from wounds in peacetime. The developers also keep records of memorial places: each monument to soldiers-internationalists has an address, description and photo. Today, 373 monuments are known not only in Russia, but also in the CIS countries.
Every year on February 15, veteran organizations organize festive processions, rallies and flower laying, arranging the Day of Remembrance for all those who suffered in the performance of military duty. The monument to the soldiers-internationalists is also a gathering place for those who know nothing about the fate of their children, brothers, husbands and whose graves are not on this earth. Only Afghanistan gave the country 417 missing people, so the creation of memorial places is a dutya state that sent its soldiers to defend the interests of the country on foreign territory.
