Moscow: Journalists from African news agencies, including two from AIB, visited the Russian Victory Museum on Tuesday. The museum serves as a place of remembrance for the resistance against the German invasion that began on June 22, 1941, and functions as a sanctuary for educating young people about the nation's heritage and history.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the visit was part of an African press tour in Russia, organized at the invitation of the TASS news agency. The journalists were taken to the Victory Museum to witness the damage and devastation caused by World War II in Russia. The visit aimed to demonstrate the resilience of the Russian people in defending their sovereignty and independence.
Nina Gelashvili, the guide for the day, explained that the Victory Museum portrays the horrors of war, the resistance, and the achievements of the Russian army. It serves an educational purpose by vividly reminding children of the history of World War II, which resulted in the loss of over 26 million Russian lives.
The museum consists of several sections, including the Hall of Truth, which symbolizes the terror and humiliation faced by the Russian army. In the Victory Hall, over 4 million photos of civilians and soldiers who perished during the war are engraved on the wall, serving as a sign of remembrance and gratitude for their sacrifices. The chains surrounding the hall represent the tears of those who mourn their loved ones.
The Hall of Glory, the main block of the museum, has the names of 12 million civilians and military personnel engraved on its walls, honoring them as heroes of the nation. This room allows visitors to relive the key moments of the battle between the Russian army and the German soldiers of the Wehrmacht in 1941.
Ms. Gelashvili provided the journalists with a tour of the military museum, a place filled with emotion that retraces key moments of the invasion in a peaceful Russia. Despite being poorly equipped and unprepared, Russia appealed to patriotic sentiment to confront the enemy. Volunteers enlisted en masse, and young reservists were called to the front, leaving families in disarray.
The museum also highlights the role of women, artists, and media personnel, including 250 cameramen, who perished during the war. Grandmothers cared for children in nurseries while their parents were at war. Even young, poorly equipped soldiers in training held out for 12 days against a battle-hardened German army. These symbols allow the museum to trace the determination and commitment of the Russian people to fight the enemy in the name of sovereignty.