Albert Zulkharniev, head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in Kyrgyzstan, noted the importance of the contribution of Ak-Tyuz residents to historical memory:
“This year we jointly celebrated the anniversary of the Great Victory. The people who worked here have forever entered the history of our country. Dear residents, you have inscribed your names in the chronicle of memory. We express our deep gratitude for your heroism and labor,” he emphasized.
The event took place under the slogan “Here the rear was the front.” During the Great Patriotic War, Ak-Tyuz made a significant contribution to the defense industry of the USSR, supplying lead ore since 1942 for the production of batteries, armored vehicles, cars, submarines, and small arms. Miners worked under harsh conditions, providing the country with strategically important raw materials.
Among the 144 residents of Ak-Tyuz who went to the front, two — Ivan Nemtsov and Alexey Krivoshchekov — were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Kaldbek Suranchiev, the initiator of the memorial's creation, shared that the idea emerged back in 2019:
“We wanted to immortalize the memory of those who fought at the front and those who worked in the mines. I developed the project of the complex, and to implement it, we raised funds from the entire settlement,” he shared.
Gulya Amrieva, former director of Ak-Tyuz Secondary School, emphasized that the opening of the memorial was a significant event for the entire community:
“The people standing by the monument are my students. I am grateful to the children of Ak-Tyuz for not forgetting their parents and fellow villagers. We have always been like one family,” she noted.
During the event, Albert Zulkharniev presented the school with a set of textbooks and fiction. Teacher Aina Begalieva highlighted the importance of promoting reading among the youth:
“Unfortunately, children read little nowadays. We are trying to awaken their interest in books. Thank you for the new editions; they are bright and of high quality, and I hope the students will like them.”
