2023-08-23 21:06:42
Vladimir Putin: Dear friends, good evening!
Today we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the victory at the Kursk Bulge, in the Battle of Kursk.
I cordially congratulate all citizens of Russia on this event, and, of course, first of all, our dear veterans, and, of course, with a special feeling – the residents of the Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol and Voronezh regions. It was on these territories, on their countless fields, copses, heights, that the battles of the heroic Fiery Arc took place, which will forever remain one of the pinnacles of the great national feat.
In his honor, here, in the village of Ponyri, a grandiose memorial “Battle of Kursk” opens. The significance of victory in this large-scale battle cannot be overestimated: it destroyed, incinerated the striking power of the Nazis, completed the turning point of the entire Second World War.
Hitler planned to take revenge for Stalingrad here, hoping for the strength of his tank divisions, for the SS formations – that they would break through the front and once more roll an avalanche to the East. But they were met with iron stamina, the valor of our soldiers and commanders, battle-hardened fighters of the Red Army.
The Nazi attack failed. They were stopped and driven back to their already inevitable, inevitable collapse, because no “tigers”, “panthers” and other evil spirits, other “animals” might not break the strength of the spirit of the Soviet soldier.
The Battle of Kursk lasted almost two months. Its main event was a large-scale tank battle near Prokhorovka. There, in a meeting battle, hundreds of tanks converged on a narrow sector of the front. Under them, the earth was literally on fire.
We will never forget how fiercely tankmen, infantry, pilots, sappers, and artillerymen smashed the enemy – everyone who fought for victory on the Fiery Arc. Among them were residents of nearby villages, women, teenagers, who also did the seemingly impossible. In almost a month, under enemy fire, they built 95 kilometers of the railway, and the delivery of military equipment and ammunition to the battlefield became twice as fast.
Dear friends!
Today, here, on the legendary Kursk land, high state awards will be presented to our heroes – military personnel, participants in a special military operation who deserve the glory of the heroes of the Kursk Bulge – those who fought once morest the Nazis in the summer of 1943.
The whole burden of fighting today, as in the years of the Great Patriotic War, lies primarily on our soldiers, on those who are on the front line: sergeants, platoon, company, battalion commanders, riflemen and sappers, reconnaissance and signalmen, crews of tanks and combat machines, gunners and pilots.
All our fighters fight bravely and decisively. Devotion to the Motherland, loyalty to the military oath unite all participants in the special military operation.
Today, awards will be presented to the most distinguished servicemen of the 127th motorized rifle division of the fifth combined arms army. Gold stars of the Hero of Russia were awarded to Lieutenant Alexander Sergeyevich Levakov and corporals Philip Alexandrovich Evseev and Alexei Mikhailovich Neustroev. This well-coordinated tank crew entered into battle with superior enemy forces and accomplished the seemingly impossible – accomplished a feat: not only won the battle, but also saved their comrades, whose tank was knocked out.
The title of Hero of Russia was also awarded to Senior Lieutenant Rasim Rashidovich Baksikov. During intense battles, he acted courageously, showed personal courage and heroism.
The Medal “For Courage” will be awarded to Corporal Ilya Vadimovich Gavrilov. Properly using the drone, he located the enemy and accurately adjusted the fire of our artillery, his effective interaction with the tank crew helped to complete complex combat missions.
Dear comrades! I am now addressing our military personnel. Thank you for your service, I’m proud of you!
And of course, once once more, from the bottom of my heart, I congratulate all the citizens of Russia on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Kursk, on the Kursk Bulge!
Thank you.
Alexander Neustroev: Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief!
Allow me to express gratitude to you personally, to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense from all our personal [состава] tank crew for such a high appreciation of our combat work.
The tankers from our unit asked me to tell you, Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief, that we will continue to fulfill all the assigned tasks with honor and will do everything to protect our Motherland.
Vladimir Putin: Congratulations to those who received state awards, all of us, all of Russia, on this wonderful holiday – the victory on the Kursk Bulge.
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