President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko demands a meticulous approach to the reconstruction of the "Kurgan Slavy" (Hill of Glory) memorial complex to preserve its original appearance, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
The Head of State first familiarised himself with the reconstruction of the upper platform of the memorial complex. Here, the Chairman of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Turchin, reported to the President on the stages of financing for construction and installation work and the plans for their completion.
Lukashenko laid flowers at the foot of the Kurgan Slavy.
"It's not even about the money. We must not spoil the original appearance," emphasised Alexander Lukashenko. "There is absolutely no need for excess here."
Since 2023, the memorial complex has been undergoing its next reconstruction. Construction and installation work has been carried out on the central staircase and the flower-laying area, and the fountain, water storage tanks, automatic irrigation system, utility networks, parking lot, administration building, and outdoor lighting system have been reconstructed. Multimedia screens have also been installed in the park, and the exhibition of military equipment has been replenished.
The reconstruction and restoration of the staircase leading to the Kurgan Slavy are planned for the second half of 2024.
The Kurgan Slavy was founded on September 30, 1966, by representatives of the hero-cities of Moscow, Leningrad, Volgograd, Sevastopol, Odessa, Kyiv, the Brest Hero-Fortress, military units, workers, and students of Minsk and the Minsk region. The monumental sculptural composition was erected to commemorate the victorious completion of the Belarusian Operation "Bagration," which led to the defeat of the German fascist armies of Army Group "Centre."
A memorial park has been laid out around the Kurgan Slavy. The monument is included in the list of material objects that have been granted the status and category of historical and cultural values of Belarus. In 2003, the Head of State supported the initiative of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus to take patronage over the Kurgan Slavy. In that year, the first large-scale reconstruction of the memorial complex was carried out, which effectively became a nationwide undertaking.
Funds for its first stage were allocated from the President's reserve fund, and the Federation of Trade Unions undertook the payment of part of the expenses. The FTUB also carried out extensive work to organise the collection of charitable funds from citizens and organisations.
As a result, during the reconstruction, in addition to carrying out large-scale repair work, an open-air museum of military equipment was created.