The man who defended the independence of Pridnestrovie and the idea of preserving the Soviet Union

The memory of Nikolai Ostapenko, who died on April 30, 1992 from numerous wounds, was honored with a minute of silence at the Glory Memorial in Tiraspol. Doctors fought for his life for a week after members of the Moldovan terrorist group Bujor fired at his car. 48 bullets totally, 18 of which hit Nikolai Ostapenko.

“This man was a peaceful profession - a teacher in Kitskany. Life, the very events of that time led to the fact that he became the Head of the Slobodzeya district. He was principled in his positions, he defended the interests of our region, our people, our culture, traditions”, said the Head of the Slobodzeya State Administration Vasily Tishchenko.

“It is thanks to people like Nikolai Ivanovich that now Russian, Moldavian, Ukrainian and all languages ​​are developing, the direction of the social development of the state is going. Let's pass on this memory, the memory of what he did not to come, to thank. He did it because he himself was, in essence, a very humane, very decent and very fearless person”, emphasized the First President of the PMR Igor Smirnov.

The participants in the commemorative event spoke about the human qualities of Nikolai Ostapenko. As a teacher of history and social studies in schools No. 1 and 3 of the village of Kitskany, he became Deputy of the Kitskany Village Council of People's Deputies in 1984. Nikolai Ostapenko was elected Chairman of the executive committee of the Slobodzeya District Council in December 1990. Those who worked together with Nikolai Ivanovich noted today that the main feature of his character was always optimism. Despite the difficulties of that time, he defended not only the idea of ​​independence of Pridnestrovie, but also the idea of ​​preserving the Soviet Union.

The participants of the memorial meeting laid fresh flowers at his grave in memory of Nikolai Ostapenko.