On 18 April 2025, the All-Russian Forum with international participation “Great War - Multinational Victory” was held in the walls of Tula State University as part of the “Marathon of Victory”.

The Forum is dedicated to the preservation of historical memory, patriotic education of youth, ensuring mutual understanding between the peoples of the post-Soviet space, and combating the falsification of the history of the Great Patriotic War.

Alexey Davletshin, Deputy Governor of the Tula Region, addressed the participants and guests of the Forum.

He emphasised: “The theme of the forum is more relevant in our world full of challenges and threats than ever. It is important to remember that the victory in the Great Patriotic War was achieved thanks to the unity and cohesion of the peoples of our country, their courage and selflessness”. 

The importance of holding the forum in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory and the Year of the Defender of the Motherland was noted by the rector of Tula State University Oleg Kravchenko. “ - The heroes of the Soviet Union were representatives of over 100 nations and nationalities, but a special role belongs to the Russian people, who became a symbol of unity of the Soviet country and its unifier”, - emphasised Oleg Kravchenko.

In their speeches, participants and guests of the Forum, including representatives of diasporas and national associations, spoke about the contribution of various nationalities to the united victory over fascism.

The Great Patriotic War demonstrated to the world unique examples of courage and selflessness of the multinational people of the Soviet Union. The Forum participants' stories of heroism that knew no national boundaries were intended to remind us of the true love of our homeland, the contribution of representatives of various nationalities, their valour and steadfastness in defence of the Motherland during its most difficult years.

Rector of the Belarusian National Technical University Sergei Kharitonchik addressed the Forum participants via videoconference, noting that all peoples of the country contributed to the victory over fascism and it is our sacred duty to stop any attempts to rewrite history.

Miloš Ković, Professor of the Faculty of Philosophy at Belgrade University, and Stefan Bollinger, German historian and political scientist, researcher of Russophobia in the West, addressed the Forum participants from Serbia and Germany.

“Serbs suffered numerous losses in the Second World War. With the support of the Red Army and the Third Ukrainian Front under the command of Tolbukhin, Serbia was liberated from the occupiers. The Red Army liberated Belgrade, and we remember it to this day,” said Miloš Ković. 

Stefan Bollinger spoke from Berlin, stating that the Second World War was Germany's greatest disgrace in history and that the German people had no right to make another mistake like this in modern times.

In addition to Professor Kovic from Belgrade, Dijana Tosic, a student of the University of Belgrade, spoke, noting that for Serbs, 9 May is a very significant day when two brotherly peoples remember how they fought together for freedom.

The welcoming speech from the General Director of the Assembly of Peoples of Russia, hero of Russia Alexander Darkovich was read by Yuri Zaldya, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Branch of the Assembly of Peoples of Russia of the Tula Region. “We have gathered to remember the feat of millions of people, among whom were representatives of different nationalities and cultures. Fascist propaganda staked on inciting ethnic discord between peoples, but the enemy cruelly miscalculated. The multinational people stood to the death for their homeland,” the Assembly of Peoples of Russia said in its address.

Aleksey Alkhovik, the Ataman of the Western District Cossack Society of the Central Cossack Troops, a Belarusian, touched upon the problem of preserving historical truth and protecting the national history in his speech.

Yury Tskipuri, Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Tula Region, representative of the Georgian diaspora, emphasised that the Great War became a symbol of unity and cohesion of our multinational people.

Oleg Sheptelut, Chairman of the Tula Regional National Public Organisation “Moldavian Centre”, and Dmitry Shevchenko, Acting Director of the Office of the Public Chamber of the Tula Region, representative of the Kazakh diaspora, spoke about the contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union to the Victory, for whom the freedom of the Motherland was above personal and ethnic interests.

The president of the Council of public organisation “Tula regional Jewish charitable centre “Hasday Nashama”” Faina Sanevich very emotionally told about tragedy of the Jewish people, which has lost the huge quantity of the representatives during the years of war. She touched upon the genocide of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War, which has no statute of limitations.

Deputy Director of the Medical Institute of Tula State University, representative of the Azerbaijani Diaspora, Aliyeva Jeyran Oktay gizi, spoke on the idea of strengthening interethnic relations and protecting the memory of the Great Patriotic War.

Within the framework of the Forum, students of the Institute of Law and Management, Institute of International Education, Law College of Tula State University and Belgrade University - winners of the presentation competition “Great War - Multinational Victory” - were awarded.

Photo by Ilya Khodakovskiy