The celebration of the 81st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War began at the monument to Musa Jalil, where students of the Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University presented a theatrical composition "We will not forget, we will not forgive." The wreath-laying ceremony was opened by the Mayor of the city Nail Magdeev, and beforehand, the host announced a minute of silence. It is worth noting that, by the order of the Mayor, the area around the monument was completely renovated – the paths, lawns, and the monument itself were updated.
Before the start of the parade at the "Rodina-Mat" ("Motherland") memorial complex 36 heads of city enterprises, deputies, and representatives of security agencies kept the Watch of Memory at the Eternal Flame. Among them were heads of district administrations, deputies of the City Council and the State Council of Tatarstan, General Director of KAMAZ Sergey Kogogin, and later Mayor Nail Magdeev with State Duma deputy Alfiya Kogogina.
The main Victory Parade gathered over two thousand participants. The ceremonial procession opened with the carrying of banners – the State Flag of the Russian Federation, the Victory Banner, and the flags of Tatarstan and the city, which were entrusted to cadets and students of the Polytechnic College. The parade march included a fire and rescue detachment, veteran border guards, participants of the Special Military Operation and combat veterans from the "Bars" detachment, internationalist warriors in 1983-style uniforms, fighters of the "Taifun" special forces, and the "Scorpion" detachment. Next, the "Yunarmiya", cadets from several schools, participants of "Forpost" and "Kaskad" marched, followed by students from nearly a dozen of the city's universities and colleges, winners of "Zarnitsa 2.0", "Movement of the First", and "Victory Volunteers". The foot part concluded with a combined orchestra from the cadet school, music schools, and the College of Arts.
After the marching columns, the "Tulpar" equestrian sports school took part in the parade, followed by a display of historical and modern equipment.
After the parade, a solemn wreath-laying ceremony took place at the "Rodina-Mat" monument. It was attended by the Mayor of the city Nail Magdeev, General Director of KAMAZ Sergey Kogogin, Deputy of the State Duma of Russia Alfiya Kogogina, and the Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Republic of Tatarstan Svetlana Zakharova. On behalf of the Executive Committee of Naberezhnye Chelny and the City Council of Veterans, a wreath was laid by Farid Salakhov, as well as by soldiers of the Special Military Operation who returned to the city after fulfilling combat missions. The ceremony concluded with a minute of silence.
Festive concerts and field kitchens with soldier's porridge were set up at three locations. On the Gabdulla Tukay embankment, the event took place with the participation of the Mayor of the city Nail Magdeev, who interacted with veterans in a cozy atmosphere. Honorary guests also included General Director of KAMAZ Sergey Kogogin and State Duma deputy Alfiya Kogogina, on Enthusiasts Boulevard – with the head of the Executive Committee Farid Salakhov, and in Victory Park – with Nail Magdeev. Performances were held by the "Yaz" and "Sotsvetie" ensembles, the "Kapel" and "Bravo" studios, and honored artists of the republic, while guests could try on military uniforms, assemble an assault rifle, or write a triangular letter.
The main event of the evening was a large-scale performance in the "Pribrezhny" park – the reconstruction play "Glory shall not fade. Memory shall live!" with the participation of students, cadets, and volunteers. Spectators saw key scenes of the war – from the peaceful morning of June 22 to the fireworks in Berlin, including the defense of Brest, the battle for Moscow, and the feat of Musa Jalil.
In a solemn atmosphere, Mayor Nail Magdeev, together with State Duma deputy Alfiya Kogogina and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan – Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan Oleg Korobchenko presented state awards to five servicemen. Private Alexander Danilov was awarded the Medal "For Courage", Ruslan Volkov and Vitaly Ilinykh were awarded Medals "For Bravery" of the II degree, and Alexander Atnashov and Azat Giniyatullin were awarded Suvorov Medals.
The holiday concluded with a minute of silence, a laser show, and festive fireworks, which put a bright ending to Victory Day, once again reminding us: glory shall not fade, memory shall live.
See all photos in the VK group "Administration of the city of Naberezhnye Chelny".