Pridnestrovie is preparing for the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. Repair work is underway at the glory memorials throughout the republic. It is necessary to refresh the memorial objects somewhere, while others require major repairs or global reconstruction. Vadim Krasnoselsky visited the Dubossary Mound of Glory. The retaining wall was repaired and strengthened, a handrail was installed this year. The areas around the tank and burial sites were covered with paving slabs, and the stairs were landscaped. The memorial site is rich in greenery, but the plantings require care. The PMR President indicated the need to remove the dry needles of adult arborvitae. The green design of the memorial plaques was discussed. It was decided that there will be a lawn between them, and the line behind the burials will be planted with roses.
The interlocutors said that the mound is not just a monument, but a place of historical events and the resting place of heroes. It preserves the memory of thousands of defenders who died during the bloody battles on the Koshnitsa bridgehead. 5167 soldiers and officers were killed, 3323 drowned while crossing the Dniester, according to official data. A T-34 tank also ended up at the bottom of the river in April 1944. The perished crew: two Heroes of the Soviet Union – Ivan Shikunov and Grigory Korneyev, driver-mechanic Konstantin Mitrofanov and tank-loader Alexander Maksimov. The combat vehicle was raised, restored and placed on top of the mound in 1968. The remains of the heroes were buried at the foot. Maria Kulkina was laid to rest here four years later. The fighter pilot heroically died in battle in May 1944. There were burials later. Vadim Krasnoselsky expressed gratitude to the leadership and residents of Dubossary for their careful attitude to history and respect for the feat of the defenders of the Pridnestrovian land.
Another significant historical site that was touched upon by the presidential inspection is the Dubossary Memorial to the Victims of Fascism. Its reconstruction was discussed at the beginning of the week at a meeting with the President. The PMR President gave a number of instructions and informed that he planned to visit the site for inspection. A large delegation gathered there today. Representatives of the government, the Dubossary state administration, the Jewish community of Dubossary, which is supervising the reconstruction, and contractors involved in the site arrived. A representative of the management of the brick manufacturing plant, to which claims had previously been made, was also invited. The President asked about the results of the inspection of the quality of the building material. The President was informed that the strength standards were fully met, and the regulatory authorities had no complaints. As for the color of the brick, it depends on the clay used in production. The deep red shade must be specified. The customer did not specify this. It will now be possible to produce red bricks no earlier than spring. Work on the memorial complex will continue using the already purchased material. Regarding the quality and durability of the products: a representative of the brick factory assured that the memorial wall will stand for decades.
The off-site meeting participants discussed other details of the project. For example, they said that the framing of the execution pits should not be inclined, as it is now. The frames will be aligned horizontally. They decided on the number of niche arches. There will be 22 small ones, as indicated in the project, and the number of large ones was reduced to six. At the same time, they decided during the discussion to add another arch – an entrance one. The Soviet monument, which is falling apart, will be replaced with an exact copy. It has already been made by craftsmen of Bendery. The pedestal will also be re-poured and faced. The entire composition will be shifted to add space in front of the monument to ensure the possibility of laying flowers. A column topped with a Star of David will be installed at the opposite end of the memorial. The reconstruction is scheduled to be completed by May 9, 2025.
