June 22 is a special date in the history of Belarus, a day marked by a tragic event forever etched into the collective memory of the people. On this day, Belarus commemorates the National Remembrance Day for Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People. It was on June 22, 1941, that the full might of Hitler's army descended upon Belarusian soil, unleashing a war of unprecedented scale that brought incalculable suffering and claimed millions of lives.
Every year on this June morning, we bow our heads in remembrance of the heroic resistance of the defenders of the Brest Fortress, those who stood their ground to the death at fortified lines and in cities, breaking the grip of the enemy's blitzkrieg offensive. We remember the long 1,132 days – the days of occupation, the days when the republic, bleeding, fought on through the indomitable partisans, underground resistance fighters, and civilians.
The memory of these unimaginable sufferings serves as our shield against the aggressive resurgence of revanchism. The ongoing criminal investigation into the genocide of the Belarusian people is evidence of our unwavering commitment to justice – a just trial for crimes that have no statute of limitations.
Today, as heirs of the generation of victors, we are obliged to tirelessly defend historical truth and carefully preserve the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Our duty is to instill in the younger generation an immunity to ideologies of exclusivity and national superiority, and to foster pride in the great feat of the Soviet people, who gave present generations life, peace, and freedom.
Eternal memory to all innocent victims, eternal glory to the victorious heroes.
Dear compatriots!
22.06.41 – numbers seared into the memory of the Belarusian people as the most terrible date in history. The date of the invasion of the country by Hitler's army, assembled from across Europe, with the aim of conquering living space for the Nazis who declared themselves the "superior race." This was the beginning of a large-scale purge of Eastern European territory, with experiments on people, executions, torture, and mass murders of defenseless residents – the elderly, women, and children.
The war came to our land exactly 85 years ago. It took the life of every third Belarusian and shattered the destinies of millions. Year after year, on this June morning, we remember how the Brest Fortress, fortified areas, and cities stood to the death, thwarting the plans for a blitzkrieg offensive by fascist Germany. We remember how the occupied republic fought for 1,132 long days, bleeding through the unyielding and unbroken heroes of the underground, partisans, and civilians.
Our memory is a shield with which we restrain the aggression of militant revanchism. The investigation of the criminal case into the genocide of the Belarusian people is an act of just judgment on crimes that have no statute of limitations.
We, the heirs of the victors, are obliged to always defend historical truth, preserve the memory of the heroes of that war, and instill in our children an immunity against ideologies of exclusivity and national superiority, teaching them to be proud of the great feat of the Soviet people, who gave present generations life, peace, and freedom.
Eternal memory to the innocent victims of the Great Patriotic War, eternal glory to the victorious heroes.
Aleksandr Lukashenko
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