INRTU Students Organized a Memorial Ceremony at the Eternal Flame and a Conference Dedicated To the Battles of Khalkhin-Gol

INRTU organized a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the victory at the Khalkhin-Gol River. The event took place on September 12 near the Eternal Flame memorial. The memory of the victims was honored by cadets of the Military Training Center at INRTU, university staff and representatives of the Consulate General of Mongolia in Irkutsk.

The Battle of Khalkhin-Gol is a conflict that lasted fr om the spring to the fall of 1939. It began with the invasion of the Japanese army into the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic. Soviet troops came to the aid of the allied state. The fiercest battles took place near the Khalkhin-Gol River in the period from August to September. In a few weeks the soldiers of the Red Army together with the armed forces of Mongolia defeated the enemy.

The participants of the memorable event were welcomed by Vladimir Smirnov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of INRTU, who emphasized the importance of the battle on the Khalkhin-Gol.

“The battles at Khalkhin-Gol united the Soviet and Mongolian people and influenced Japan's refusal to enter the war against the USSR on the side of Germany. This spared the Soviet Uni on from having to fight on two fronts. A great contribution to the victory over the Japanese troops was made by the military leader Georgy Zhukov and Mongolian Marshal Khorloogiin Choibalsan. We should remember and honor our ancestors,” addressed Vladimir Smirnov.

Ms. Davaanyam Nyamsuren, a representative of the Consulate General of Mongolia in Irkutsk, attended the commemorative event. INRTU was represented at the ceremony by Vice-Rector for International Affairs Stepan Bykov, Director of the Center for International Services Assia Kontrimovich, Head of the Military Training Center at INRTU Vladimir Kobzar and his deputy Vladimir Kobets, as well as Russian and Mongolian students.

Alexey Yuretsky, a cadet of the Military Training Center at INRTU, spoke on behalf of the youth. The cadet explained in detail about the prerequisites of the battle and the key stages of the battle of Khalkhin-Gol.

The participants of the ceremony honored the memory of the fallen heroes with a minute of silence and laid flowers at the Eternal Flame memorial.

The program of celebrating the 85th anniversary of the victory also included a scientific and practical conference and a visit to the training airfield of the Irkutsk branch of Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation, wh ere INRTU cadets are trained.

According to Vladimir Kobzar, the conference presentations are devoted to the battles on the Khalkhin-Gol River:

“Cadets from INRTU, Irkutsk State University, as well as students from Mongolia participated in the conference. The plenary session of the conference was opened by Doctor of Historical Sciences Oleg Astrakhantsev. We are going to publish a scientific compilation based on the results of the event and sel ect the best speakers.

The purpose of the ceremony and the conference is to strengthen cooperation between Russia and Mongolia, to inform young people about key historical events”.

It should be noted that INRTU hosts a series of events dedicated to the Battle of Khalkhin-Gol. For example, on September 5 in the library of the university opened an exhibition “Khalkhin-Gol. Friendship and Memory”. In the spring of this year, cadets of Military Training Center at INRTU and Mongolian students visited the photo exhibition, located in the regional park “Patriot”. At the end of August the students took part in the VI International Youth Expedition “Memory Is Stronger than Time”. The purpose of the events is to provide patriotic education for young people and strengthen ties between Russia and Mongolia.