On 4 August 2018, at the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex, with the support of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus and the “Memory of Afghanistan” Charitable Foundation, the 4th Afghan Sky Festival was held to mark Paratroopers Day.
The official anniversary of the founding of the Airborne Forces is 2 August 1930, when, during exercises conducted by the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, a 12-man airborne unit parachuted from a TB-3 aircraft for the first time.
In the Republic of Belarus, the successors to the Airborne Forces are the Special Operations Forces, established by presidential decree in 2007.
The festival featured a large-scale military-historical reenactment of events from the Soviet–Afghan War that took place from 18 to 26 August 1986 during Operation Trap.
Around 100 people took part in the reenactment, including representatives of military-history clubs from Belarus and Russia, together with military vehicles from the period.
Before the reenactment, service personnel, parachuting athletes and pilots from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus demonstrated their skills.
Professional personnel and members of a sports club also gave demonstrations of their hand-to-hand combat skills.
The Ogonyok Band cover group performed for visitors at the complex. As always, more than a dozen interactive areas were open to guests, where they could test their knowledge in a history quiz, try airgun shooting and tank painting, and take part in engaging workshops. Competition winners enjoyed a free tank ride.
A children’s activity room was available for younger visitors, where they could enjoy colouring patriotic posters from the Great Patriotic War, practise origami and make their own ‘military’ souvenir. Motya the Clown entertained the children with an interactive bubble show.
Around 2,500 guests visited the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex on the day of the festival.
A short photo report appears below.
Photo: Vitaly Dorosh. Based on material from the website travel.otzyv.by
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