In Volgograd, Youth Army members carry out a Memory Watch at 40 memorial sites

15 days before the Great Victory. A patriotic action with the same name started today in Volgograd. At exactly noon, almost 800 schoolchildren, as part of guard groups, took up the Memory Watch at 40 memorial complexes dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War and counted down the days until May 9.

For David Botoyan, May 9 is not only victory day, but also his grandfather’s birthday. Once during the Great Patriotic War, his vigilance helped prevent the advance of the Nazis and save the division from encirclement. The feat of his grandfather inspired the schoolboy to join the ranks of the Youth Army movement and continue the work of his elders in defending the Motherland and historical truth.

– We were preparing for this day, and I must keep a memorial watch at the monument to the North Sea sailors and salute. I would really like to attend each of the excursions that we conduct, and I would also like to try myself as a search engine, since I really like to benefit people,” says David Botoyan, a student at Gymnasium No. 4 named after. F.M. Dostoevsky Voroshilovsky district of Volgograd.

Together with David, his classmates also stand vigil at the memorial to the North Sea sailors. They are just preparing to become members of the Youth Army, but they are confident in their choice and cope with the task perfectly well.

– I succeeded. There was some excitement. But everything went well. I am proud that I stood near such a monument. I hope I will develop in this area,” says Aksinya Gordienko, a student at Gymnasium No. 4 named after. F.M. Dostoevsky Voroshilovsky district of Volgograd.

The Youth Army detachment in the 4th gymnasium named after Dostoevsky is called “Voroshilovsky shooter”. The guys take an oath to always be faithful to their Fatherland and the Youth Army brotherhood at the main height of Russia – Mamayev Kurgan.

– We are taking part in the “15 days until the great victory” campaign, in which the guys actively expressed a desire to participate. Of course, this is very significant and significant for them. We did a lot of work with the kids in advance, preparing,” notes Ilona Machulskaya, deputy director for educational work at Gymnasium No. 4 named after. F.M. Dostoevsky Voroshilovsky district of Volgograd.

The “15 days until the Great Victory” campaign has been taking place in Volgograd since 2012. Its goal is to instill in schoolchildren a love for their Motherland and strengthen their sense of patriotism. The organizers are the city center of patriotic education “Victoria” and the regional branch of the movement “YUNARMIA” with the support of the youth policy and tourism committee of the Volgograd administration.

​ – This action is a tribute to all the soldiers, defenders who defended Stalingrad, who defended our entire Russia during the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic education is more relevant than ever – the guys know about it and are multiplying the glorious traditions of our ancestors,” commented Sergei Rogov, head of the department of the City Center for Patriotic Education “Victoria”, deputy chief of staff of the branch of the Yunarmiya movement in Volgograd.

In Volgograd, Memory Watches will be held on the territory of 40 memorial places in Volgograd. Among them are the “Battle of Stalingrad” panorama museum, a monument to the Komsomol defenders of Stalingrad, a mass grave of soldiers of the 62nd and 64th armies, a T-34 tank monument and many others. Previously, 50 monuments in Volgograd were updated as part of a specialized program on the eve of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Stalingrad Victory.

The municipality plans to restore 5 more military memorials this year. Among them are the “Mass grave of militia soldiers of the Barrikady plant”, “Grave of the Komsomol partisan Filippov”, mass graves of Soviet soldiers and workers in the village of Dar Gora, on Lysaya Gora and in the village of Guli Koroleva.