Monument to soldiers of the 76th Airborne Division’s Sixth Company
In the early hours of March 1, 2000, one of the most notorious episodes in the 2nd Chechen War transpired. The Sixth Company engaged the enemy at Height 776 in Argun Gorge near the village of Ulus-Kert in Chechnya. Eighty-four soldiers, including 13 officers, were killed while repelling an attack by over 2,000 militants, who lost about 500 men.
Twenty-two paratroopers were made Heroes of Russia, including 21 posthumously.
Sixty-nine officers and men received the Order of Courage, including 63 posthumously.
The monument was built on the President's July 21, 2000 decree and unveiled August 1, 2002. President Vladimir Putin laid the monument's cornerstone.
The monument has become one of Pskov's major tourist attractions. Military-patriotic and official events marking memorable events in Russian military history are held near the monument. In addition, recruits of the 104th Paratrooper Regiment which had comprised the Sixth Company take their oath of allegiance in front of the monument.
In 2010, the regional budget allocated 2.5 million roubles for the monument's cosmetic repairs.
