The festival marked Paratroopers Day, which has been celebrated at the Historical and Cultural Complex for several years. This year, the festival gained international status. Representatives of military-history clubs from CIS countries and neighbouring states took part in the reenactment of a battle from the Soviet–Afghan War.
The weather on the day of the festival, 5 August 2017, was exceptionally favourable, and the stands were filled to capacity.
A range of activities for children and adults was available throughout the complex from early morning.
An interactive children’s programme by the well-known clown Motya
Ready for Labour and Defence (GTO) activity area
shooting range
water rides, quad biking and horse riding
A new attraction was the Scout’s Trail obstacle course, which opened for the first time.
Visitors could complete the obstacle course and other physical fitness tests. At each stage, instructors recorded their results in their GTO record books.
After registering their record books, complete with marks for the obstacles they had passed, at the information centre, the most active competitors were given the opportunity to enjoy a free ride in a battle tank.
The opening of the country’s unique Airborne Forces Bar was timed to coincide with the start of the festival.
Instead of a conventional bar counter, drinks were served directly from an armoured fighting vehicle converted for peaceful purposes.
The formal programme began at 13:30. Parachutists jumped from a Mi-8 helicopter above the spectators and made a spectacular landing directly in the arena in front of the stands.
Special forces personnel gave a demonstration of their hand-to-hand combat skills.
The highlight of the festival was the reenactment of three combat episodes from the Soviet–Afghan War. Representatives of clubs from several countries took part, along with eight period military vehicles, including a recently restored and fully operational BRDM-1.
This time, the festival organisers added theatrical drama to the script by presenting the combat episodes as veterans’ recollections. During the nearly ten years of war in Afghanistan, hundreds of our fellow countrymen endured a harsh test of courage and heroism. Their time in that distant country was a severe and difficult ordeal. Dozens lost their lives while carrying out their internationalist duty, without ever understanding what that duty was or why a great power had intervened in the affairs of a country living by medieval laws.
In brief, the reenactment’s storyline was as follows: two old comrades-in-arms and veterans of the Soviet–Afghan War met entirely by chance during a guided tour. These men were united by more than old wounds and military decorations. The spirit of comradeship in arms lived on in their hearts. They remembered every day of that war, honoured their fallen comrades and knew that, despite everything, they had fulfilled their military duty.
As the friends recalled combat episodes and the heroism of their comrades-in-arms, not all of whom returned home, the action unfolded before the spectators.
1. The Death of a Combat Engineer.
A full-scale mine war was fought in Afghanistan, running in parallel with the ground, artillery and air war. Our troops suffered their heaviest losses from explosions caused by mujahideen mines, despite every possible precaution being taken. The ‘dushmans’ knew their trade. Our combat engineers were greatly respected and admired. They were brave and courageous men — true professionals, experts and masters of their craft.
2. Pavel Bekoev’s Last Battle.
Little is known in Belarus about the special forces officer Pavel Viktorovich Bekoev. Yet his short life deserves to be known by people today, and figures such as him should serve as examples in the education of young people. In 1983–1984, he worked as a workshop supervisor at the Termoplast plant in Minsk. In May 1984, after submitting repeated requests, he was sent to Afghanistan, where he became renowned for his legendary courage and earned genuine respect. In his final battle, he accomplished his assigned combat mission at the cost of his own life.
3. The Withdrawal of Troops from Afghanistan. Attack on a Convoy.
The final withdrawal operation took place from late January to the first half of February 1989. The withdrawing troops were repeatedly attacked by the dushmans (mujahideen); a total of 523 Soviet soldiers were killed during this period.
According to the official account, Lieutenant General B. Gromov became the last Soviet serviceman to cross the border between the two countries over the Friendship Bridge on 15 February 1989. In reality, Soviet servicemen captured by the dushmans (mujahideen) remained in Afghanistan, as did border guard units covering the withdrawal; the latter did not return to the USSR until the afternoon of 15 February.
The reenactment used service weapons loaded with blank ammunition. The spectators’ adrenaline levels appeared to be off the scale.
After the reenactment, the participants laid a commemorative wreath in honour of Airborne Forces personnel at the memorial in the Historical and Cultural Complex.
Participants who had distinguished themselves were presented with commemorative medals and certificates.
The festival was held with the support of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus and the “Memory of Afghanistan” Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Internationalist Veterans.
Report and photographs by Vitaly Dorosh
Aerial footage: Alexander Metla
List of recipients of commemorative medals and certificates:
First-Class Medals:
1. Dmitry Stanislavovich Kovalevsky
2. Alexander Alexandrovich Kozlov
3. Vitaly Igorevich Voevodov
4. Maxim Nikolaevich Borozennikov
Second-Class Medals:
1. Evgeny Alexandrovich Azarchenko
2. Alexey Sergeevich Zhukov
3. Grigory Grigorievich Zubkevich
4. Yuri Anatolievich Kornelyuk
5. Olga Vladimirovna Opeikina
6. Igor Alexandrovich Dashchinsky
7. Evgeny Timurovich Moiseenko
8. Valery Viktorovich Zavorotny
Certificates:
1. Alexey Olegovich Kovalchuk
2. Alexey Valeryevich Savich
3. Sergey Vladimirovich Opeykin
4. Viktoria Viktorovna Khanteeva
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