Latvia Remembers

Franz Adolfovich is a reserve colonel. In 1985, he was posted to Afghanistan, where he served in a helicopter regiment near Kandahar until 1986. Today, Franz Kovalevsky is a distinguished veteran of the Russian Air Force, a Latvian citizen and a hereditary Polish nobleman. As an active advocate for commemorating Soviet internationalist servicemen, Francis Kovalevskis secured the installation of Latvia’s first monument to Soviet soldiers from Latgale who died in Afghanistan. The monument stands in the Latgalian town of Rēzekne.

Franz Kovalevsky at the monument in Rēzekne

 

Franz first conceived the idea of erecting the monument back in 1988, when he was elected chairman of the society at a meeting of Afghan War veterans. However, the turmoil of the 1990s prevented him from carrying out his plans. For 20 long years, Franz Adolfovich cherished his dream of doing everything possible to commemorate the young men who gave their lives in that war. At his ancestral estate of Masleniki in Ludza Municipality, he spotted an enormous 15-tonne boulder, which became the foundation of the future monument. The site was chosen deliberately: beside the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the restored burial complex for Red Army soldiers. This symbolises continuity between generations and the need to remember the heroism of the internationalist servicemen who gave their lives in Afghanistan, honouring them just as we honour the Red Army soldiers and commanders who fell in the Great Patriotic War and in whose memory the Eternal Glory Obelisk was erected in Rēzekne in 1948.

Franz Kovalevsky’s memorial cost more than 3,000 lats. Of this sum, 317 lats was provided by Rēzekne City Council, while the remainder was donated by members of the public.

The formal unveiling of Latvia’s first monument to servicemen who died in Afghanistan took place on 11 July 2009 in the presence of a guard of honour from the Latvian National Guard (Zemessardze).

 

The honour of unveiling the monument was given to Afghan War veteran Alexander Tseitsan and Franz Kovalevsky’s granddaughter, Kristina Kovalevskaya. 

Alexander Tseitsan and Kristina Kovalevskaya unveil the monument

 

The memorial was consecrated by the Orthodox priest Father Alexander. 

 

The first to address those assembled was the Mayor of Rēzekne, Alexander Bartashevich, who is Belarusian by nationality. Thanking everyone who had contributed to the creation of the memorial, he noted that monuments are not only a tribute to the fallen, but also a lesson for future generations and an example to politicians.

Mayor of Rēzekne Alexander Bartashevich delivers his address

 

Russian Consul Nikolai Vikhlyaev said that the two monuments standing side by side symbolised the passing of the torch to the Afghan War veterans from their fathers and grandfathers, who fell during the liberation of Rēzekne from German occupation in July 1944. 

Belarusian Consul Gennady Akhramovich noted that 2009 marked two significant anniversaries: the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus and Latgale from the German invaders, and the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

Belarusian Consul Gennady Akhramovich

 

The fallen servicemen were also commemorated by Zemessardze Senior Lieutenant Ilmar Apeins, who served in Afghanistan from 1986 to 1988. 

Ilmar Apeins, commander of the 3rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon

 

Rēzekne City Council deputy Dagmara Abramova and Lyubov Shkirmante, chair of the city’s veterans’ organisation, congratulated those present on the unveiling of the monument.

 

The Afghan War veterans then shared their memories. At the end of the ceremony, those assembled laid flowers and wreaths at the monument.

 

Since then, Afghan War veterans have gathered at the monument on 25 December, the anniversary of the Soviet deployment to Afghanistan, and 15 February, the anniversary of the troop withdrawal. They observe a minute’s silence in honour of the fallen heroes, offer words of support to those who survived and remember their comrades’ service together.

 

During the ten years of the Afghan War, 16 servicemen from Latgale were killed: one from Balvi, nine from Daugavpils, four from Ludza and two  from Rēzekne.

 

Their ranks and names:

 

Lieutenant Colonel   Pavel Rybkin   (aged 39)

Senior Lieutenant     Rashid Erkhanov   (aged 26)

Warrant Officer         Vladimir Mikhailov   (aged 25)

Junior Sergeant       Yuri Pavlov   (aged 20)

Private   Erik Adiyans   (aged 19)

Private   Alexander Grigyan   (aged 19)

Private   Valdis Zenka   (aged 20)

Private   Vladislav Knit   (aged 19)

Private   Alexei Kolesnikov   (aged 19)

Private   Vladimir Krapan   (aged 19)

Private   Igor Loginov   (aged 19)

Private   Alexander Lyagushnik   (aged 19)

Private   Yevgeny Masalsky   (aged 20)

Private   Jānis Naglis   (aged 20)

Private   Lev Solostei   (aged 20)

Private   Jānis Jasinskis   (aged 19)

 

At the foot of the monument is the inscription: “Remember Us, Latvia!”

 

During his long service, Franz Kovalevsky received not only Soviet awards, but also decorations from Lithuania, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. 

Franz Kovalevsky’s decorations

 

However, his favourite is the Order “For Service to the Motherland”.