Evgeny Semenychev and Leonid Titov presented material assistance for Victory Day to a former resident of besieged Leningrad and a former child prisoner of the Second World War

The head of the administration of the Pervomaisky district of Vitebsk, Evgeny Semenychev, the chairman of the regional organization of the public association of veterans, Leonid Titov, accompanied by pioneer activists, solemnly presented material assistance for Victory Day to a former resident of besieged Leningrad, Nikolai Yakovlev, and a former minor prisoner of the Great Patriotic War, Galina Kletsko.

“Despite the fact that the childhood of these people was scorched by the war, they grew up strong and resilient, worked with dignity all their lives, raised wonderful children and grandchildren,” noted Evgeniy Semyonichev. - We sincerely wish them good health, vigor and prosperity!

The heroes of the day greeted guests, accepted congratulations and recalled the past. In their advanced years, they are optimistic about the future and ask their descendants to take care of the peaceful sky above their heads.

First we went to honor Nikolai Yakovlev. From the man’s biography it is known that, having survived the horrors of the siege famine, in April 1942 he was evacuated from Krondshtat. After the war, he served in the military in 1955-1956. He began his career in 1962 at the Ural motor depot as a mechanic, and a few years later he became a driver and worked for many years for the benefit of the organization.

Due to modesty and reluctance to remember the tragic events of the siege, Nikolai Nikolaevich refused to communicate with the press, but Galina Kletsko willingly shared with guests and correspondents the details of her life, allowed them to look into the family photo archive and even sang her favorite “Katyusha” in chorus with the pioneer activists.

- I was born in Vitebsk in a family of workers. When the war started, I was only 4 years old. My father was not called to the front due to health reasons, and the Germans forcibly took him to Germany, and I, along with my mother and sister, were sent to Poland,” said Galina Kirillovna. - When the war ended, I returned to my hometown and graduated from 10th grade. But I decided to get a higher economic education only at the age of 43, already being a grandmother.

Working at the Vitebsk Radio Components Plant "Monolit", the woman actively participated in the public life of the team and in all cultural events. Having received a higher education, she was appointed chief of supplies, and worked in this position until her retirement.

Since 1992, Galina Kletsko has also participated in the audit commission of the regional Council of Juvenile Prisoners and in the Council of Veterans. At 87 years old, she still doesn’t want to be bored: she attends themed events, communicates with old friends and pioneers of Vitebsk Secondary School No. 25. The woman never missed an opportunity to do something useful for her enterprise and her hometown. It was thanks to her that bus route No. 23 was developed and opened in Vitebsk, on which children from the Cheryomushki microdistrict go to school No. 25 every day.

- I love young people very much, in their eyes I see a bright future for our people. Children themselves do not yet understand how happy they are, because they live in peacetime, can get an education and explore the world, says the interlocutor. - But after the war it was much more difficult to obtain knowledge. Schoolchildren had to write with pencil stubs on wrapping paper, using the window sill as a support.

Memories of the war still resonate painfully in Galina Kletsko’s heart. She was a child, but she remembers very well how the Germans shot four prisoners of war in her presence on Yuriev Hill. One of them threw beets at a passing column of Nazis, and the Nazis did not forgive this and staged a show execution.

“Later, under the cover of darkness, my grandfather and uncle buried these guys. One of the dead was found to have a posthumous medallion, and the grandfather took it. That’s how we found out the name of the deceased - Loginov,” said Galina Kletsko. “Upon returning from the occupation, our family continued to care for this grave. Through the military registration and enlistment office we found Loginov's relatives and achieved the reburial of the remains of four prisoners of war on the territory of the "5th Regiment" memorial.

And the brightest memory for Galina Kirillovna forever remained the Victory and the long-awaited road home.

- Leaving pain and fear behind, the freed prisoners rode on the train to the sounds of accordions and joyful songs. We looked at the courageous soldiers with medals, experiencing real happiness,” the interlocutor summed up. - The taste of returning to life remained with me forever. And now I urge every Belarusian to remain faithful to the Motherland in any situation. The war should not happen again, because Belarusians are peaceful people.

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