Social integration of children with disabilities

The social integration of children with disabilities is an integral part of any society. Much is being done in the Lepel region as well. Forty-two people (parents, children, children with disabilities) visited military unit No. 71327 in Zaslonovo.

The excursion begins in the club's foyer, conducted by Lyubov Popova, a cultural and leisure activities specialist at military unit No. 71327. We will also take a unique virtual journey through its halls.

The club is the centre of army ideological work, housing a 600-seat auditorium, a library, the orchestra of military unit No. 71327, a children's art school, and a hall of military glory. The idea of its creation belonged to the former commander of the unit, Guards Colonel Nikolai Miklashevich. It was opened on May 8, 2015. The first hall is "The Land Where I Serve." It mainly displays tools and household items that have absorbed the history of this region. The children were interested in looking at the plough, the pestle, and the iron… It's not surprising, as many had seen them at their grandparents' homes, or not seen them at all. And they listened to Lyubov Fedoseevna with no less fascination, as everyone wanted to learn about the distant past.

In the place where Zaslonovo is now located, a pine forest once grew, reaching right up to the Ulyanka River. The forest belonged to Mr. Spasovsky, who later sold it to English industrialists. After the forest was logged, the timber was tied into rafts and floated down the Ulyanka River, through the Western Dvina, to Riga. From Riga, the timber was sent to England.

After the October Revolution, the construction of the railway, which began in 1925 and was completed in 1928, gave the settlement a second wind. In 1935, a decision was made to build a military town. The place was named "Razyezd 116 km" (116 km Junction) and retained this name until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Two barracks, huts for builders, four residential buildings, and a garrison House of Officers were built... The Lepel Artillery and Mortar School was established... However, 1941 arrived... The stands in the second hall, dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, preserve the memory of these events. At the beginning of the war, military units were mobilized, and the families of servicemen were evacuated. German garrison detachments were stationed on the territory of the town. The partisan movement was well-organized, as evidenced by an authentic exhibit – a note made on a German consignment note. Further confirmation is the renaming of the junction to "Zaslonovo" in honor of the legendary commander of the partisan detachment and brigade, Konstantin Zaslonov.

...Teenagers stand near the stand detailing the unit's combat path. The 19th Guards Separate Krasnoznamennaya Nikolaevsko-Budapestskaia Order of Suvorov, Second Class Mechanized Brigade was formed by directive of the Ural Military District Headquarters dated September 12, 1941, near the city of Kamyshlov, as the 363rd Rifle Division. For bravery in battles, steadfastness, courage, and heroism of its personnel, the division was transformed into the 22nd Guards Rifle Division, and in 1942, it was awarded the Guards Combat Banner. Soon, the division was reformed into the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps, which ended the war on May 9, 1945, in Prague. During the battles, 29 individuals were awarded the "Golden Star" medal, and 14,107 individuals received various orders and medals. The unit marched ten thousand kilometers in combat. Since 1990, the 19th Guards Tank Division has been redeployed to Zaslonovo. The "Weapons of Victory" exhibition caused a stir among the boys. After all, nearby were the weapons their grandfathers fought with. Among them were the famous Shpagin submachine gun, the "Maxim" machine gun...

The next hall is "History and Modern Armed Forces." The division's special pride is its commanders. Each of them made their contribution. For example, Andrey Ravkov, who commanded the military unit from 2002 to 2003, was appointed Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated November 27, 2014.

The brigade currently comprises the 4th Separate Tank Battalion "Armoured Fist", the "Queen of Fields" infantry (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 30th Separate Mechanised Battalions), the "Gods of War" artillery group, the "Nerve of the Army" signals battalion, an engineer-sapper battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, a repair and recovery battalion, a medical company, a company for radiation, chemical, and biological protection, and an anti-aircraft missile battalion.

We proceed along the "Alley of Heroes" corridor. Following the Great Patriotic War, 665 individuals were awarded the Order of the Red Banner, 101 received the Order of Suvorov, 23 the Order of Kutuzov, 93 the Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2046 the Order of the Patriotic War, 4 the Order of Glory of the First Degree, 57 the Second Degree, and 201 the Third Degree. Medals "For Courage" were awarded to 7155 individuals, and "For Military Merit" to 3097. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was conferred upon 26 soldiers of the division.

These are true heroes, without any reservations. One example is the feat of Guards Senior Lieutenant Ivan Konorev. On July 13, 1943, his tank engaged five enemy assault guns and destroyed three. When his armoured vehicle was hit, he fought to the last round and was burned alive. He was awarded the Order of Lenin and buried in the village of Voznesenovka, Shebekinsky District. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Ivan Alekseevich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus dated February 19, 1996, Guards Senior Lieutenant Konorev was permanently entered into the personnel list. Impressed excursionists proceeded to the VOHR (Military Guard) post. The guard commander, Valery Evdokimenko, was surrounded by excited children. Here, there was an opportunity not only to see but also to touch the means of defence: a rubber baton, handcuffs. The "Tula Tokarev" pistol was the most popular. Holding a baton and a pistol, and being put in "handcuffs" would undoubtedly earn an avatar on a social network many "likes".

The next stop on the educational tour is the kennels, housing nine dogs: eight German Shepherds and one Central Asian Shepherd. Delis is the first to emerge majestically and gracefully from her enclosure, as if stepping onto a catwalk. A guard dog has several duties, such as refusing food from strangers and barking at approaching individuals. Rottweilers were previously used, but their short coat makes them unsuitable for service during winter. The minimum service period is eight years, extendable if the dog remains fit. A snow-white Central Asian Shepherd then enters the area. Many wish to pet the beautiful dog, but it is forbidden as it is a service dog whose task is to guard. Incidentally, in over a decade, there have been no unauthorized human visitors, apart from animals that occasionally wandered onto the unit's territory.

With the assistance of the Deputy Commander of the Motor Rifle Company for Ideological Work of the 1st Separate Mechanized Battalion, Guards Lieutenant Alexey Shugaev, we proceed to the penultimate point of the planned route – the technical maintenance and repair point. Here, T-72B tanks, the main Soviet battle tank of the T-72 family, are parked in an open area. Visitors can climb onto the armour, touch the cold track metal, and take a few souvenir photos.

Can you guess the final destination of the route? We reached it quickly from the open parking area, as everyone had become quite hungry. The army canteen served a hearty and delicious meal of rich borsch, rice with chicken, and fresh cabbage salad. For dessert, there was a bun and compote.