After the speeches of the officials from Kyrgyzstan and Russia, a minute of silence was observed with a three-gun salute and the laying of a wreath in memory at the monument.
The solemn opening of the restored monument to the pilots of the 566th Assault Aviation Regiment of the Leningrad Front, heroes of World War II Ismailbek Taranchiev and Alexey Tkachev, took place in the village of Besh-Kunge in the Chui region.
As part of the ceremony, the monument was consecrated for the first time by representatives of two religions — Islam and Christianity. The Orthodox Church's consecration ceremony was conducted by priest Yevgeny Tsiklauri, assistant commander for working with believing servicemen at the CSTO airbase "Kant," who read a prayer. Imam-khatib of the village of Besh-Kunge, Nurkaly Taksyr Muratbekov, read a prayer for the deceased and emphasized the importance of the event for educating the younger generation.
Senior assistant military attaché of the Russian Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Vyacheslav Kosov emphasized that the memory of the heroes of World War II should not be forgotten.
"Today, attempts to rewrite history and downplay the role of the Soviet people in the victory over fascism continue. The opening of the monument to Taranchiev and Tkachev will serve as an example for future generations, who will cherish the memory of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers," said Kosov.
After the speeches of the officials from Kyrgyzstan and Russia, a minute of silence was observed with a three-gun salute and the laying of a wreath in memory at the monument. During the event, the flags of the Kyrgyz Republic and Victory were raised on the flagpole, while the servicemen of the airbase simultaneously raised the Russian flag and the flag of the CSTO airbase "Kant." The event was attended by parliament deputy Dastan Bekeshev, government representative in the Chui region Kanatbek Isayev, World War II veterans, and schoolchildren from nearby villages.
Ismailbek Taranchiev, a native of the village of Besh-Kunge in the Kyrgyz SSR, and Alexey Tkachev, an orphan from a children's home and a native of Smolensk Oblast in the RSFSR, were pilots of the 566th Aviation Regiment of the Leningrad Front. On March 18, 1944, they directed a German-damaged Il-2 attack aircraft into a cluster of enemy tanks. As a result of the explosion, six German tanks and three fuel trucks were destroyed.
For this feat, Taranchiev was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1991, along with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin. Tkachev has not received any awards for this feat to this day. Relatives of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Junior Lieutenant Taranchiev, considering the historical injustice, are petitioning for the posthumous awarding of Junior Sergeant Tkachev with the title of Hero of Russia.
Source: Sputnik Kyrgyzstan
