The Victory parade will be special for veterans

the Upcoming Victory day Parade will be special for those heroes, veterans who participated in the historic Victory Parade on 24 June 1945. And they are still with us.

His blue jacket pilot military orders — always in perfect condition. But this parade Nicholas E. Olovyannikov will have to watch on TV. And here is a photo taken in June 1945, he had just returned from Berlin and is preparing a Victory Parade to pass on red square.

a Hero he was 21. On your Il-2 Nicholas Olovyannikov made 212 sorties. Have started to bomb the tanks at Kursk and so flew to Germany.

“For our troops is a “flying tank” and the Germans called it “black death”. Low-level flight over the trenches fly – Germans, like cockroaches in the cracks at first,” recalls Nikolay Olovyannikov.

due to problems with legs Nikolai Efimovich he almost never goes anywhere, and now the epidemic. Only son lives far away, next only faithful nurse Natasha. Once a week the food and medicine brought in veteran.

At the Moscow house of veterans of his heroes cherish. The hot line can be contacted with any questions. All singles are personal assistants.

“every veteran secured a social worker who helps him,” — said Viktor Stepanov, Chairman of the Board of the Moscow house of veterans.

Maria Ivanovna Vojvodina, as with everything, sitting at home, but it is in the active-isolation. Weed grass and Windows to wash her once in a while volunteers come, and in 98 years all that she does. During the war, this fragile woman was in the ambulance platoon. “For the capture of Berlin”, “For valor” on the Jacket hard to fit all military awards.

“so Many carried the wounded… And how many were killed, says Maria Ivanovna. 9 may for me is really a holiday with tears in the eyes.”

Sergey Alekhin jokes, hhe is in Samara — the youngest veteran. To the front to get in 1942, attributed to himself a few extra years. So a 15 year old boy participated in the battle of Stalingrad, liberated Rostov. Several years of war, then was wounded. In the hospital found out the real age — on the front line were not released, sent studying in the merchant Navy. Now Sergey Alexeyevich directs the local Board of veterans Affairs, says it has collected.

“It’s hope and all, when you lift the quarantine. That means we won coronavirus. It’s like the end of hostilities” — says the veteran.

on may 9 this year he stayed home for the first time the celebration was postponed. in Samara the parade will be held without spectators. But Sergey, of course, is not going to sit all day in front of the TV. He is sure to meet with your friends.

the parade everything is ready and on red square. Parade units will take place on the pavement on June 24, as in the distant 1945.