MINSK, 6 May (BelTA) – A commemorative rally in honor of Hero of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijani tank platoon commander Najafgulu Rafiyev, took place in Minsk ahead of Victory Day, BelTA has learned.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Belarus Maharram Aliyev noted that the Azerbaijani people, like all peoples of the Soviet Union, paid a high price for the victory. “Belarus deeply honors the heroic deeds of all veterans, including Najafgulu Rafiyev, whose tank platoon was the first to storm the streets of Baranovichi, saving hundreds of lives. Streets in Minsk and Baranovichi, as well as a school in the capital, are named in his honor, and he was named an honorary citizen of Belarus. Initiated by the Azerbaijani embassy, a granite bust of Rafiyev, created by our sculptor, has been installed. On the one hand, it is our gift to the city; on the other, it is a significant contribution to the patriotic education of the youth,” he stressed.
The ambassador also recalled that from the very first days of the war, the territory of Belarus became an arena for fierce battles between German forces and the Red Army. “Conscripts from Azerbaijan arrived to serve in the Brest garrison. The names of our soldiers who gave their lives for the liberation of Belarus are inscribed on the memorial plaques of the Brest mass graves. Azerbaijanis actively participated in the defense of Polotsk, Mogilev, Vitebsk, and other cities, and also fought as part of the Belarusian partisan movement. Victory in the Great Patriotic War is our shared Victory, won at the cost of millions of lives, whose memory lives on in the hearts of generations,” Maharram Aliyev stated.
According to Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Utyupin, it is symbolic that the Belarusian embassy in Baku is located on a street named after Hero of the Soviet Union Najafgulu Rafiyev, as it represents another thread connecting our countries through the legacy of the war and modern-day realities. “Today, we are witnessing attempts by some countries to rewrite history and discredit the heroic deeds of the Soviet Union. We see monuments to heroes being torn down and the celebration of the great Victory Day being banned in certain countries. Our response to this is to pass the legacy of the war and the stories of those who fought on the front lines, in partisan units, and in the underground, as well as those who worked courageously on the home front contributing to victory, from generation to generation. These heroes live as long as the memory of them remains. We will always honor the great heroic deed of the Soviet people, which comprised many nationalities,” he stated.
CIS First Deputy Secretary General Igor Petrishenko noted that everyone gathered today at the commemorative rally also to pay tribute to all Azerbaijanis. Together, as one family, they stood up to defend their homeland. “Victory Day would have been impossible without the selflessness of Rafiyev, who, despite being wounded three times, continued to fight and demonstrated to everyone how to defend every inch of the land,” he stressed.
“Today, films are being actively produced and new chapters of our heroic and sacred history are being uncovered. We will continue this vital work so that future generations know the truth about the great deeds of their ancestors. As descendants of victors, we must carry this noble title with pride. The youth in our countries are actively absorbing the spirit of patriotism and sacred memory,” Igor Petrishenko concluded.
The event brought together members of the Council of CIS Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives, the leadership of the CIS Executive Committee, representatives of the Azerbaijani embassy and the Azerbaijani diaspora, members of diplomatic missions in Belarus, the administration of the Moskovsky District of Minsk, and students of the city’s Secondary School No. 170 named after Hero of the Soviet Union Najafgulu Rafiyev. The participants laid flowers at the monument to the hero.
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