The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky answered journalists' questions at the end of the solemn ceremony of laying flowers at the Eternal Flame, the graves of the defenders of the Fatherland and the monuments of the capital's Memorial of Glory on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Tiraspol and other settlements of Pridnestrovie from the Nazi invaders.
Viktor Berezhny, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, The 12th of April – how important is this date?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Knowing what happened to Tiraspol after its liberation from the German-Romanian invaders, we can confidently say that April 12, 1944 is the second birthday of the city. The German-Romanian invaders, leaving Tiraspol, left ruins – physical and moral. According to various sources, up to 90000 civilians were shot or killed on the territory of modern Pridnestrovie. These are huge losses. This territory was turned into a chain of ghettos, where people of Jewish and other nationalities were kept, subjected to torture and ultimately executions. A lot of citizens from the territory of the so-called "transnistria" – this is an occupational regime term that some politicians still allow themselves to use – were moved to Germany, to Europe for free work or to concentration camps. There was huge destruction in Tiraspol. According to various estimates, the damage amounted to about a billion Soviet rubles. The liberators were presented with a sad picture of a destroyed city with practically no people. Everything had to be restored, but the most important thing is liberation. Therefore, this is the second birthday of the beautiful city for me personally, which was founded by Ekaterina, Suvorov and saved by Soviet soldiers.
Svetlana Tsvetkova, TSV:
With what feelings did you come to the Memorial today?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Feelings are conflicting. It's a holiday on the one hand, but for me any date of the victories of the Great Patriotic War is also a tragedy as it is associated with the death of people, with the tragedy of an entire nation, the generation of Victors. Another disturbing feeling is connected with what is happening today. No one imagined then that something similar would happen again after the terrible war – the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War, after the results of the Nuremberg Tribunal. We survived 1992. There was an aggression of the nationalists of Moldova against the people of Pridnestrovie – also under nationalist slogans. We survived thanks to the people of Pridnestrovie, thanks to the descendants of the generation of the Winners, thanks to the peacekeeping mission of the Russian Federation, which is still relevant today.
Viktor Berezhny, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Continuing the theme of the peacekeeping mission: how do you assess it in the context of the latest terrorist attacks that were prevented?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
The terrorist attacks that were prevented on the territory of Pridnestrovie, if they were committed, would have had very serious consequences, even irreversible, up to aggression, up to hostilities. I am convinced that they hit the Russian Federation through the blood of the Pridnestrovians, against whom the terrorist attack was planned, as well as against the OSCE mission on February 14 in the city of Bendery. Through us, but Russia, the peacekeeping mission specifically. I am convinced that the purpose of the terrorist attacks was to accuse Russia of failure, that it is no longer able to cope with its peacekeeping obligations and cannot save people's lives. That would be a direct accusation. I see this goal. The fact that the curators and performers represented the Security Service of Ukraine is a fact that has already been confirmed by the investigation. All detainees give confessions, all testimonies are confirmed by expert examinations. The goal was not achieved, of course, but I can hardly imagine who stood on top, who gave the command to liquidate the inhabitants of Pridnestrovie, to liquidate officials, to liquidate the OSCE mission in the broad representation of US diplomats, European diplomats. The goal was clear, who was behind this, I don’t know, I won’t guess. I want to appeal to these curators and organizers: we prevented them from making a tragic mistake, the consequences of which would be very serious, for you as well.
Viktor Berezhny, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
We remembered the defenders, the liberators today. What would you like to say to the servicemen, peacekeepers who are standing on the borders and protecting our peace now?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Today's defenders are doing the right thing, they are defending homeland, as fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers defended it. They continue the feat of arms of many generations of Pridnestrovians. I want to wish them good luck in their service, health, peace, and that their professional skills will never come in handy in the defense of our Fatherland.
