169 thousand people were in the ranks of the “Immortal Regiment” in Kazan

(KZN.RU, May 9, Ksenia Shvetsova). The All-Russian action of memory “Immortal regiment” was held in Kazan. This year, 169 thousand people marched through the main streets of the city with portraits of their relatives who contributed to the Great Victory.

The first persons of the republic were among the participants of the action: Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, Mintimer Shaimiev, the state counselor of the RT, Alexey Pesoshin, the prime minister of the RT, Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, as well as representatives of ministries and departments of the republic and the Executive Committee of the city.

Already in the morning, you could see citizens in the streets and in public transport, who were holding banners with portraits of their relatives. The capital of Tatarstan becomes one of the cities leading in the number of participants in the action not for the first year. Therefore, the column was being formed in advance, and Kazan citizens themselves prefer to come to the action earlier.

The gathering of participants on Karl Marks Street began at 1 pm. By this time, hundreds of people had already gathered there. “My son inspired me to take part in the Immortal Regiment”, said Lali Chokheli, who this year is taking part in the action for the first time with her son Mark. “His school friends participate every year, and he also wanted. I am glad, because the most important thing is upbringing. Indeed, thanks to this action, we teach children respect, develop a sense of patriotism”. Mark wore the Red Army cap, which his mother bought him, a Georgian Ribbon on his chest, and he holds a portrait of his great-grandfather Mikhail Kirsanov. “He went to the war at a very early age, fought for two years and returned from the front alive. He died when I was 15”, told Lali Chokheli.

The column with the Banner of Victory began the movement of the “Immortal Regiment” at 3 pm. The procession was led by Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, who came with a portrait of his uncle Galimzyan Minnikhanov. He went to the front at the age of 19, fought as part of the 359th Infantry Regiment. He died as a result of fierce fighting near Moscow on December 15, 1941.

The first rows were given to Mintimer Shaimiev, the state councilor of the RT, with a portrait of his father Shagisharip Shaimiev. He was badly wounded in the battles near Moscow and commissioned in 1942. Then Shagisharip Shaimiev worked for 25 years as the chairman of a collective farm in the Aktanyshsky district.

Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, joined the action with a portrait of his father Khairulla Mukhametshin. He went to the front in 1941 and returned from the war in July 1945 with the rank of senior sergeant. Alexey Pesoshin, the prime minister of RT, was carrying a portrait of his grandfather Vladimir Yakovlev.

Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, went out on the march with a portrait of his grandfather Muzagit Metshin. He went through the whole war, from the first days to the Victory in 1945, received five wounds and two contusions.

Anyone could join the march from the streets Mushtari, Gogol, and Zhukovsky, so the number of participants in the action increased throughout the course of the column. Alina and Artur, a young married couple, joined the march in wedding dresses. “Recently we celebrated an important event in our life. But today, after all, is the most important holiday in our country, we could not miss it”, said Alina. “I march today with a portrait of my great-grandfather. He went to war in 1941, and already in 1942, our family learned that he was missing. It was not possible to find him, we know nothing about him. And today we have the opportunity to honor his memory, the memory of all who fought for our country”.

Speakers were placed on the route of movement playing the songs “Katyusha”, “Victory Day”, “Holy War” and other compositions.

The number of participants in the Immortal Regiment is increasing every year. More than 500 volunteers were needed to organize and conduct such a large-scale action. For example, the victory volunteer Maria participated in the formation of the column. “We also play an important role today, although we are not marching along with everyone”, she said. “For example, it is very hot today. We tell people where the boxes of water are placed, where they can get medical help if anything happens”.

In almost 2 hours, the Immortal Regiment marched through the streets of Karl Marks and Lobachevsky, past the park “Chernoe Ozero”, and along Kremlevskaya Street. In honor of the meeting, a concert with vocal and dance ensembles was organized at Svobody Square.

The “Immortal Regiment” is the All-Russian movement to preserve the memory of the generation of the Great Patriotic War. On the Victory Day, participants annually march through the streets of cities with photos of their relatives: veterans of the army and navy, partisans, resistance fighters, rear workers, prisoners of concentration camps, blockade, children of war and all who contributed to the Great Victory. The march was held in 2011 in Tomsk for the first time. Today it covers more than 80 states and territories. Last year, 163000 people took part in the meeting in Kazan.