Victory Day address from SPbU Rector, N. Kropachev
Dear members of the University community,
I congratulate you on the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War!
The 9th of May is a celebration that inseparably binds generations together — a day of our shared pride and joy. It embodies the memory of our people, the history of a great nation, the story of every family, and the personal history of each one of us.
Eighty years ago, Soviet soldiers achieved a momentous triumph in the most arduous battle for the future of all mankind, saved humanity from a deadly threat. Their deeds of valour will never be forgotten! This shall remain indelible in our memory, and no revision of history shall prevail.
Today, we honour the fortitude and selflessness of the heroes who defended the borders of our Motherland, protected undefeated Leningrad from its besiegers, and rebuilt our nation from the ruins. We reverently preserve the memory of those who never returned home.
The Great Patriotic War posed an unprecedented challenge to Leningrad State University. More than 2,500 students and staff fought on the front lines, while the students and personnel remaining in encircled Leningrad maintained essential wartime operations. Thanks to the courage of our heroes, St Petersburg University endured, and it is through their sacrifice that we continue to live and work for the advancement of Russian science and education!
This year of 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, has been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland in Russia by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The selfless deeds of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers continue to motivate our armed forces during the special military operation in their current mission to defend Russia’s sovereignty and independence. The remarkable examples of patriotism and bravery shown by the heroic generation serve as an unfailing source of moral strength for those on the home front in defending fundamental values.
Congratulations on Great Victory Day!