In Memory Of The Fallen We Will Be Worthy

In the Tersky district of Kabardino-Balkaria, a massive ascent to the Kurpsky heights took place, where during the Great Patriotic War, fierce battles were fought. The action dedicated to the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the republic from the Nazi invaders, was attended by members of the voluntary youth squad of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University.

The traditional ascent, which takes place every year since 1999 thanks to the regional branch of the All-Russian Public-State Organization DOSAAF, was supported by the administration of the Tersk district, the regional branch of the All-Russian public movement to perpetuate the memory of those who died defending the Fatherland in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, cadets of local DOSAAF offices, students of cadet schools, representatives of public organizations and youth associations of the republic.

In the village of Inarkaya, at the monument to those who fell during the Great Patriotic War, a solemn meeting was held before the march. Mukhazhid Zakuev, chairman of the DOSAAF regional office of Russia, representatives of the local administration of the Terek region, representative of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Nikolai Kaziev, chairman of the council of veterans of the village of Verkhniy Kurp and others addressed the audience. They told the younger generation that at that time, in 1942, the front line was on the Kurpsky heights for more than three months and it was here that the bloodiest battle took place in the whole territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

To this line was attracted a huge amount of manpower and equipment of the enemy. In the three-lane defensive system built by our troops, six divisions and four regiments were concentrated. Combat units of the enemy were stopped at the cost of heavy losses. The 317th Infantry Division, which had fought to the death on these heights, was formed twice after the death of the main personnel, but did not surrender to the enemy the bridgehead. On the New Year’s Eve in 1943, the exile of the Nazi invaders from the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria began from Kurpish Heights.

“We were there to honor the memory of those who fell during the Great Patriotic War and thus attract the attention of young people to significant historical events. In fact, it is sad that young people are excluded from the study of history. But we need to remember the war, if only because we should be grateful to our grandfathers and great-grandfathers for a peaceful sky overhead. To forget this is to betray their feat. And remembering, we prove that the sacrifices made were not in vain,”

— said Yusuf Kaziev, the leader of the KBSU voluntary youth squad.
For more than 100 days, the soldiers of the 317th Rifle Division held defenses on the Kursp heights. In the battles killed more than 7 thousand Red Army men. At the place of battles, the participants of the campaign lowered the flags and honored the memory of the fallen with a minute of silence.