Brezhnev Might Have Been a Petty Bugman But Battle of Novorossyisk Deserves Respect

This is political modernity.

But today there is news, which helps us to understand an absolutely ridiculous turn of Russian political history. Let's compare two different photographs of one man. Young, handsome front-line soldier, colonel Leonid Brezhnev, who took part in the victory parade as a veteran, who passed Malaya Zemlya, the legendary foothold in Novorossiysk. And another photo, the elderly Brezhnev, who gave himself the rank of marshal, for whatever reason, and knight of the Victory Order. Those that surrounded Brezhnev knew his weakness for titles and decided to award him the Lenin Prize in literature for the book Malaya Zemlya, which might not have been written by him.

 

As a result, the heroic defense of the foothold near cape Myskhako in Crimea which lasted 225 days, becomes almost an anecdote. After the death of Brezhnev, this historical episode became the subject of a revision, of sorts.

Today, there was a memorial service called Beskozyrka in Novorossiysk, which restored the historical injustice.

From Malaya Zemlya, our special correspondent in Krasnodar region, Anna Sorokina.

Shots are heard in Malaya Zemlya as it was on the icy February in 1943. Soldiers in caps storm the German positions.

"They fought not sparing their lives. I would want to be just like them".

"I couldn't hold back my tears because I remembered how it was".

Soviet soldiers defended Novorossiysk for 225 days. A few kilometers of land they took back was called Malaya Zemlya. In memory of courageous people in caps, people bring flowers here. You can hear about the history of the heroic city and this memorial in the historical museum and sanctuary.

There are letters in this capsule that was raised from the bottom of the sea. In one of letters resident of Novorossiysk, twice Hero of the Soviet Union test pilot, Vladimir Kokkinaki, asks to find his grandson and give him his best wishes. This is the letter from Anna Kornienko. On the paper, there is a children's hand print and an inscription: "Let the sun always shine." A new capsule will be dropped to the bottom of the sea this year. The letters will be read in 50 years.

Valentina Matviyenko, Chairman, Federation Council: "It is good when the initiative comes not from government, but from the people. Young people organized this memorial and it still lives and becomes larger. Letters to descendants show the link between generations, love to their native land".

On the Square of Heroes, to the sound of a military band, torches were ignited from the Eternal Flame and sent to places of fierce battles.

Alexander Moskalets, WWII veteran: "The situation was heavy, but we gradually regained the territory. Then other military units landed and expanded out foothold".

Grateful Novorossiysk shines with thousands of lights. People walk along the sea. In the windows, candles are lit.

Veniamin Kondratev, Governor of Krasnodar Krai: "While we honor the memory of the heroes, we will live as a great, victorious, united nation".

This action of memory was founded by the youth organization "Shkhuna Rovesnikov" in 1968. Then it was a small group of people with self-made torches. They launched a cap to the sea for the first time. Today, the lights in memory of heroic deeds continue to shine in the hands and hearts of people.

Anna Sorokina, Valery Pyatov, Mikhail Kirtoki, Anna Nekas — Vesti Saturday, Novorossiysk Hero City.