“Living Memory of Afghanistan”

Meeting “Living Memory of Afghanistan” that was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was held in the capital. Leaders of the republic, deputies of the Supreme Council, members of the government, soldiers “Afghans”, representatives of labor collectives, public organizations, the youth took part in it.

Before the start of the meeting, a column was traditionally lined up in the central square of the capital, headed by the armored personnel carrier of those times, followed by young people with portraits of Tiraspol citizens who did not return from the Afghan war. The procession of the colony ended in a holy place for every Pridnestrovian - Memorial of Glory. Here, on the Dniester terraces, there are monuments to soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, soldiers-internationalists, defenders of Pridnestrovie.

The PMR President Decree declared February 15 the Day of memory and glory of soldiers-internationalists. For 9 years and 51 days, the Soviet military personnel performed international duty on the southern frontiers of the Motherland. More than 620 thousand people passed through the crucible of Afghanistan, more than 15 thousand did not return from a combat mission. 14 residents of Tiraspol were among them.

Everyone's name was heard during the requiem meeting. Under the monotonous and solemn battle of the metronome in their sorrow, their memory, as well as the memory of all those who died in that distant war, was honored with a minute of silence. In honor of those who, being young, stepped into immortality, was given a gun salute.

The first wreath at the monument to the soldier-internationalist was laid by the President Vadim Krasnoselsky, flowers from the first President Igor Smirnov. Flowers to the foot of the monument were also laid by parliamentarian, chairman of the Pridnestrovian Association of Afghan War Veterans, Igor Buga, and honorary member of the presidium of the non-governmental organization “Afghans”, deputy of the Supreme Council of the 2nd convocation, Mikhail Katkov.

Warrior-internationalist Igor Buga wrote a report to be left in Afghanistan for a second term. He felt he was needed here. In an interview with reporters before the march, the warrior- “Afghan” noted that the Soviet troops suffered the main losses during the war in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan at the beginning of the military campaign, when there was no combat experience.

An endless stream of soldiers marched to the Afghan stele — internationalists, members of the families of the dead, grateful citizens. Red carnations on granite slabs, as a symbol of memory and pain in human hearts ...