More than 700 thousand natives of Bashkortostan fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. One in three of them died a hero's death. 200 thousand soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals, more than 300 soldiers and officers became Heroes of the Soviet Union and full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory. Military elements, which became famous in decisive battles, were formed on the territory of the republic.
       Now, on the threshold of the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War preparation for the celebration of this date actively goes on in Bashkortostan. Preliminaries started even in 2007 with the respective Decree of the President of Bashkortostan. That's what the RB Prime Minister Rail Sarbaev told at the meeting of the State Assembly - Kurultay RB.
       Within the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Victory, delegations of the Bashkir war veterans will take part in the festive events that will take place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Belgorod and Kursk on May 7- 10, 2010. 270 veterans from all over republic will participate in the festive events in Ufa. Three-day recreation and treatment will be organized for them in one of Ufa sanatoriums.
       The Victory parade, which will be held simultaneously on the Red Square in Moscow and in all regions of the Russian Federation, will be the central event of the celebration. In Ufa, the Victory parade will take place on May 9, 2010, at 12 AM local time on the Lenin Square.
       The total number of people participating in the parade will come to two thousand, 40 units of equipment, including the models of the wartime will be engaged.
       The festive concert and state reception of the veterans will take place on May 9 in the Congress-Hall.
       The presentation of the monuments to the Hero of the Soviet Union General Tagir Kusimov and the legendary Major General commanding the 112th Guards Cavalry Division Minigali Shaimuratov is among the events devoted to the 65th anniversary of the Victory.
       Major efforts are taken to improve and renovate monuments and buildings devoted to the Great Patriotic War. In 2009, 8.429 million roubles were allocated from the regional budget for these purposes, and 5.689 million roubles are going to be spent in 2010. The list of monuments located on the territory of Bashkortostan has been made.
       The search and memorialization of missing soldiers are continued. 17 searching parties from the cities of Davlecanovo, Mezhgorie, Oktyabrsky, Salavat, Sterlitakak, Ufa, and Belebey, Duvan, Nuriman regions of the republic participate in this activity. Names of more than two thousand natives of the republic missing in action have been identified over the seven- year period of work of the Searching Parties' Fund.
       The work on the electronic Bashkir Book of Memory, the issue of which is timed to the Memory and Sorrow Day on June 22, 2010, is carried out.
       According to Rail Sarbaev, the security of the celebration of the Victory Day is guaranteed. In order to provide public peace and safety during the preparation and holding of the jubilee festivities, the headquarters of force structures was formed. The integrated plan on maintenance of security during the celebration of the Victory's anniversary has been worked out.
       At present 12370 war veterans, including 3698 disabled soldiers, 8135 veterans, 287 former young prisoners of concentration camps, 250 citizens rewarded with the breastplate "To the resident of blockade Leningrad" live on the territory of the republic. There are over 32 thousand members of the families of the dead veterans and disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and also more than 79 thousand workers of the home front in Bashkortostan. All of them are provided with all means of social support stipulated by the federal and regional legislation in full force and effect.
       According to the Decree of the President from May 2008, disabled war veterans are to be supplied with motor vehicles in accordance with their medical condition. This work is almost done in our republic. 320 disabled war veterans received automobiles. 99 more veterans received immediate compensation amounting to 100 thousand roubles.
       One of the priority tasks is to provide all veterans of the Great Patriotic War whose living conditions need to be improved with housing. The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 7, 2008 set the task to complete the work on giving the housing to the war veterans who had registered themselves before March 1, 2005. This assignment of the President of Russia is fulfilled in the republic. 332 war veterans were provided with housing from the municipal budget resources over the 2005 to 2009 period. 502 veterans of the Great Patriotic War were given housing from of the federal budget resources.
       During the previous year housing conditions of all the veterans, widows of veterans and disabled veterans of the GPW, as well as of workers on the home front were inspected. Those who do not need to improve their conditions will get assistance in renovation of their housing and dependencies, improvement of plots of land adjoining their houses and solution of other everyday problems. As of April 8, 2010, two thousand veterans were given such assistance.
       Photo by Andrey Starostin.