VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's speech at the ceremony:
Esteemed veterans and guests,
Here on Pokonnaya Hill, on the eve of the day of Victory that is sacred for all of us, we are laying the foundation stone for a monument to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. It is a monument to courage, sacrifice and faith. To the military brotherhood of people of different nationalities who fought together against Nazism.
They crushed a cruel, arrogant enemy, who had become accustomed to quick, almost bloodless victories. An enemy that was intoxicated with their own impunity.
In the history of humankind, the Victory of 1945 will forever remain primarily the victory of the Soviet soldier. The soldier who defended his own Motherland, turned the tide of the Second World War and saved the world from annihilation and Nazi slavery.
This truth lives in the hearts of millions of people. It grows no less true with time.
However, attempts to rewrite history are extremely dangerous. Behind them is not just basic ignorance of forgetfulness, nor a simple desire to cast shameful chapters of history in a better light, to hide the disgrace of collaboration and past cooperation with the Nazis.
Today they want to use the legacy of the Great Victory in their geopolitical intrigues, to draw new dividing lines, lead neighbouring countries into disagreement with each other and tear peoples apart. To sow the seeds of animosity, malice and savage nationalism.
At one time the Nazis burned books in public squares, trying to fool millions of people, whole nations, and turn them into mere blind instruments. Some today want to use these forgotten formulas for petty, ignoble purposes, for hatred and destruction. But they will fail in the end. They have no future.
One of the most heinous examples of this barbarism - as we have just seen on the screen - was the destruction of the Monument of Military Honour in Kutaisi last December. This deed shocked and offended all reasonable people, in Georgia itself above all, where the renunciation of one's ancestors, especially the renunciation of their honour, has always been the deepest of disgraces.
It is painful that the veterans had to see all this, that they had to endure the betrayal of those for whom they fought, for whom they fought and died.
It is terrible that the younger generations must witness this cynical destruction of memory, a destruction that poisons and cripples their souls.
These political vandals did not spare the memories of their own fathers.
They not only destroyed the monument, they committed an outrage against those who will remain in the earth forever, in communal graves from Caucasian mountain passes to the Elbe. An outrage against the valour of hundreds of thousands of Georgians, Abkhazians and Ossetians, who joined the voluntary divisions and fought on the front lines in the Great Patriotic War.
A total of 137 Georgians became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and over 240,000 received military awards from our common Motherland. The legendary 9th Mountain Division, formed in Georgia, fought fiercely from Taman to Prague. The history of their heroism can also be seen on an inscription reading "Tbilisi to Berlin", which has been preserved on the walls of the Reichstag.
Today tens of thousands of people from all generations across the whole of Europe will come to Soviet military memorials to honour their liberators.
Both veterans and young people will celebrate May 9 in the CIS countries and the Baltic States. Families from Vladivostok to Brest remember the bitterness of their losses, and the pride for their ancestors.
Our common duty is to preserve and defend historical truth. Defend the honour, dignity and good name of the living and fallen heroes. We will use everything in our power to do this: politics, law, mass media, the power of civil society and Russia's prestige and influence in the world.
This position enjoys widespread international support as well. The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the Russian draft resolution on the inadmissibility of destroying monuments to the fighters against Nazism.
Dear friends!
The new obelisk on Poklonnaya Hill will be built with voluntary donations, and will become a tribute to the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. We will always remember the great history our peoples went through together, and all stages of this history, no matter how complex they may be.
Representatives of the Georgia public are here today at this ceremony. For us his is very important. It is important that we are together today, that our countries still have cultural, humanitarian and spiritual ties and that our peoples have good human relations, despite the vain attempts to make us quarrel with each other and forget the centuries-long history of honest and sincere friendship and fellowship.
I believe that Russian-Georgian relations will begin a new chapter. We are ready to begin a conversation with all constructive political forces in Georgia that are willing to partner with Russia. And we will without a doubt rebuild this partnership.
I congratulate the veterans with all my heart on the eve of the upcoming holiday! I wish you health, fortune, peace and long lives.
Remember the Great Victory!
