President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko took part in the nationwide community work day, planting trees in the grounds of the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex.
Before work began, Alexander Lukashenko was briefed on the development of the complex and the creation of new exhibitions. It was noted that Stalin Line had been established around the fortifications of the Minsk Fortified Region, which played an important role during the Great Patriotic War. Staff at the complex also noted that around 7,000 pillboxes had been built there before the war, covering a distance of 1,600 km, although some areas remained undefended. The pillboxes had been designed to counter infantry and cavalry and could not withstand armoured forces.
“Had we taken this fortified region and the measures for which it was intended seriously, the Germans would not have found it so easy to overcome,” the Head of State said.
After viewing the grounds and exhibitions, the President took part in the tree planting. To mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the German fascist invaders, 75 oak trees were planted at Stalin Line on the site of the principal exhibition along the guided route through the pillboxes of the Minsk Fortified Region. A further 30 pine trees were planted to mark the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of the Soviet military contingent from Afghanistan.
Alexander Lukashenko watched the Belarusian tank biathlon crew in training and spoke with the servicemen, wishing them further success and victories. It was noted that the Belarusian military is regarded as among the best in this discipline.
The Head of State then spoke to members of the media. The President noted that community work days were among the best traditions of the Soviet past that should be carried forward into the present. In the President’s view, few people in Belarus today regard community work days as a relic of the past. However, when the country first began reviving this longstanding Soviet tradition, the President had to “practically persuade” people to take part.
“Fortunately, we have people of the older generation who took part in community work days, who valued them then and still do. They helped me enormously. They followed my lead, and our young people followed us — they respond readily to a good cause,” Alexander Lukashenko said. “This is in keeping with the policy I have always advocated: we must not erase anything from our history, because it was part of our past, and we must take everything that was best from it. I believed that the community work day was one of the best things from the past that we should carry forward into the present.”
Last year, the Head of State took part in the nationwide community work day in the area where he grew up. As this year is also dedicated to that theme, journalists thought that he would return to Alexandria. The President explained that the area had already been put in proper order, so this time he had chosen another region.
“I decided that, in the year marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus, we should plant 75 examples of our finest tree — the oak — at Stalin Line. In time, my children and grandchildren will come and see the avenue we planted here. For some, this is also a further signal that the ‘Native Land’ trilogy lives on and that we must work both this year and next so that no blemishes remain on our beautiful Belarus,” Alexander Lukashenko added.
The President said that the wartime events which unfolded in the area of the Stalin Line teach us always to be prepared to repel aggression. “This is a lesson; it is part of our country’s little-known history that we must understand. And this lesson urges us to keep our powder dry and always be ready to repel aggression against us, from whatever quarter it may come,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The Head of State noted that, when the Historical and Cultural Complex was being established, there were many opponents who accused the authorities of perpetuating Stalin’s memory.
“I was not reviving Stalin’s name, although he deserves that too. I was restoring this site, which represents a part of our history that, unfortunately, was misunderstood at the time,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasised.
According to him, some officials even attempted to halt construction of the complex: “There were plenty of people working in government bodies who tried to pressure others and obstruct the creation of the complex.”
The Stalin Line complex was established around the fortifications of the Minsk Fortified Region, which extended for 2,000 km during the war. However, some areas along this line remained undefended.
“Had it functioned here as intended, the Germans would have faced enormous difficulty. I believe the fascists would hardly have overcome it,” the President noted. “Through sheer incompetence — and this is our lesson — we lost Belarus within a month to a month and a half. Nothing remained of Belarus. Wherever there was real fighting, the fascists were held back for 20–25 days.”
Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that Belarus now regularly modernises its armed forces in response to developments in the international situation and the emergence of new methods of conducting conflicts and combat operations. The emphasis is on mobile forces, as wars will no longer be fought with tank columns and opposing fronts facing one another, the Head of State observed.
“There will be terrorist groups; they will be deployed behind the lines. That is why territorial defence forces have been established, so that people can protect themselves and their families in the rear. We also have mobile forces: if someone breaks through, they move rapidly to the area, carry out strikes, receive helicopter support, eliminate the threat and withdraw,” the President added.
Returning to the significance of the Stalin Line complex, the Head of State noted that this historical and cultural site attracts visitors from beyond the post-Soviet region. Tourists also come from Western Europe to see wartime military vehicles and modern weaponry.
“We will continue to expand this site in order to foster patriots capable of defending not only themselves, their families and children, but also our country,” Alexander Lukashenko concluded.
Concluding his remarks to journalists, Alexander Lukashenko said that the community work day, and the landscaping and tree planting in particular, would serve as a further signal that the trilogy held under the banner of the Year of the Native Land in Belarus was continuing. “For some, this is a further signal that the ‘Native Land’ trilogy lives on, and that we must work both this year and next so that no blemishes remain on our beautiful Belarus,” the President said.
Based on material from president.gov.by
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