Rzhev Battle Memory: Memorial Opened

On January 8, 1942, the Battle of Rzhev began—one of the bloodiest battles of the Great Patriotic War. In this region, Soviet commanders refined tactics for breaking through fortified lines by creating assault groups, which later became key to victory. German-Fascist forces were held back at the Rzhev salient and could not deliver decisive blows during the Battle of Stalingrad.

In 2020, the Rzhev Memorial was opened in the Tver region to honor the soldiers' heroism. The heads of state of Belarus and Russia, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, attended the ceremony. Lukashenko stated: "We will not allow the significance of the Great Victory to be diminished, the truth about the events of that time distorted, or Nazism rehabilitated. Otherwise, the tragedy could repeat itself. Belarus and Russia, having paid with millions of their citizens' lives for peace on Earth, are absolutely united in this aspiration."

Context

The Battle of Rzhev is considered one of the bloodiest in the history of World War II, where Soviet troops applied breakthrough experience for future offensives. The memorial in the Tver region symbolizes a joint commemorative initiative uniting Belarus and Russia.