The Dugout is a tradition carefully preserved and reverently followed by the descendants of the Generation of Victors. Musical events, organized in the style of a rest break, are held in the towns and districts of Pridnestrovie every year, on the eve of Victory Day. Combat veterans, concentration camp prisoners, children of war, home front workers, members of veteran organizations, and representatives of patriotic movements gather around a festive table out in the open. The Dugout is held in Tiraspol in the courtyard of the City Palace of Culture. Vadim Krasnoselsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the PMR and PMR President, greeted those who survived the most terrible of wars and are celebrating the 81st victorious spring.
"Dear veterans of the Great Patriotic War, esteemed home front workers, esteemed children of war, dear Pridnestrovians. We stand on the eve of a great holiday for us all – the holiday of the Great Victory in the most terrible war in human history – the Great Patriotic War, the Second World War. The price of victory was not just great, but globally enormous. It still cannot be calculated – both in human lives and in material losses. One thing is absolutely clear: this war was aimed at the destruction of both the Soviet state and the entire Soviet people. The Soviet people were destined for destruction and the implementation of the so-called "Ost" plan on Soviet territory. This meant either total annihilation or deportation, and those who were supposed to remain were to serve as slaves. Complete Germanization, the deprivation of all political freedoms and economic rights. But Victory was achieved. At a great cost. I want to say, and this is proven by numerous documents, that victory wasn't forged only at the front, of course. It was forged on collective farms, in factories – everywhere. Everyone worked – teenagers, very young children, 10-year-olds and older, toiling at the machines. Women worked in factories, essentially replacing men. Think about the numbers. During the Great Patriotic War, two factories opened every day. They were opened in Siberia, in the Urals from scratch. That’s a tremendous feat of labor. There probably wouldn't have been Victory without this. There wouldn't have been the weapons of Victory. Therefore, when we talk about the victory of the Soviet people, of course, we must understand: the entire Soviet people – from the least to the greatest – are heroes. It's only thanks to them that we live, have children, raise grandchildren, and preserve our values – the values of our people.
Nevertheless, I want to talk about the veterans. I was younger, and we remember how many veterans there were. They were young men, about my current age. These columns. This celebration. We watched and were proud of them. They were superhumans for us. Victors. There remain only six veterans among us, here in Pridnestrovie today – those who took part in the combat operations of the Great Patriotic War. Six. They are among us. I wish the veterans good health. You don't need to accomplish new feats. Your feat is to live and delight us with your presence on this land.
Memory to those who did not return from the front, those who lie in the ground, those who were not mourned because they are listed as missing in action, those who were not buried with honors, or who later died from wounds, injuries, or old age, of course. Eternal memory to all of them.
Esteemed comrade officers, please rise. Dear generals, three cheers for the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, called Vadim Krasnoselsky”, concluding his celebratory speech and thus paying tribute to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
