The office of the President of Mongolia, Public Relations & Communications Division

www.president.mn

2010-05-10

President Elbegdorj attends the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic war

Today the Russian Federation and former Soviet Union countries celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Victory the Great Patriotic War.

The main event of the anniversary, an extensive military Parade, will be held today at the Red Square of Moscow city. This march will command over 10.000 military personnel, and about 300 military technique, as well as military units from the allied nations of the Second World War such as USA, Great Britain, France, in addition to former Soviet Union countries.

Numerous esteemed foreign dignitaries were invited to the ceremony, including Elbegdorj Tsakhia, President of Mongolia, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China, Shimon Peres, President of Israel, as well as Presidents of Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Czech, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Latvia, Estonia, and Central Asian nations, and T. Jagland, Secretary General of the European Council.

Accompanying President Elbegdorj are L. Bold, Minister of Defence and L. Purevsuren, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President.

On the day of his arrival in Moscow on 8 May 2010, President Elbegdorj visited the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, and received veterans of the Great Patriotic War at the Embassy of Mongolia in Moscow.

After attending the Parade at Red Square, the foreign dignitaries will go to the Alexandrovsky Sad, and pay tribute to Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Since the day the Second World War begun, Mongolia was Soviet Union’s only ally, transforming her own economy to state of war.

The 25th Congress of the State Small Khural, convened in early 1942 made a decision to present to the Red Army a tank squad, according to which by February 1942 the Mongolian Government transferred 2.5 million MNT, 300 kg of gold and 100 thousand USD to the Vneshnetorgovii Bank of the USSR. Also, between January and July 1942, the Mongolian people mobilized 2 million MNT as donation to the Red Army. All aimags and soums of Mongolia joined in a campaign of donation mobilization in those months, in the result of which a Mongolian tank brigade “Revolutionary Mongolia” comprising of 32 T3-4 tanks and 21 T-70 tanks was formed to be presented to the Russian Army on January 17, 1943 by the Mongolian Government leaders.

This brigade, the 44th Tank squad honored with the Order of the Red Banner of Military Valor, reached Berlin, and was awarded the high state awards of the USSR – Lenin, Kutuzov and Bogdan Hmelnitsky orders and was named after D. Sukhbaatar.

The Commander of the Tank brigade I. I. Gusakovii was a twice Hero of the USSR, and of the tankers and soldiers served in the Brigade, 15 were the Heroes of the USSR and 7770 were awarded with the high state orders and medals of the USSR, Mongolia and Poland.
The 26th Congress of the State Small Khural, convened on March 6, 1943 made a decision to form an airforce squadron “Mongol People”, according to which by July 31, 1943 Mongolia presented to the USSR 2.6 million MNT. With these funds, within 4 months, the airplanes of the squadron were produced. The squadron had 12 “LA-15” airplanes. The squadron was transferred to the 322 Airforce division commanded by the Hero of the USSR, Major-General S. Blagovetshensky. Thus, from early days of the War, the Mongolian people and Government helped the USSR and its Red Army with every resource they could command. Many Mongolian students who then studied in the USSR joined the fight against facism and served in the Red Army.