Today, on June 22, the Republic of Belarus celebrates the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People. This is a sorrowful date that has been forever etched into the history of our country.
June 22 marked the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, as well as one of the saddest dates in the history of Belarus.
At dawn on June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany, in a treacherous violation of the Non-Aggression Pact, launched a war against the Soviet Union. The war lasted for 1,418 days and claimed the lives of tens of millions of people. This marked the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, a plan devised by the German military leadership to conduct a lightning-fast war and defeat the Soviet Union in a single stroke. The most powerful German army group, Army Group Center, was advancing on the territory of Belarus.
Our border guards were the first to face the enemy. The border outposts were heavily bombarded by artillery, mortars, and machine guns. The resilience and heroism of the Soviet soldiers disrupted the plans of the Nazi command, which allocated only 30 minutes to suppress the border outposts. The Red Army soldiers demonstrated unparalleled courage and dedication, leading to the complete failure of the Blitzkrieg plan.
In February 2016, the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, signed a decree "On the Commemoration of Those Who Died in the Defense of the Fatherland and the Preservation of the Memory of War Victims," which defined the main forms of commemoration: state registration, arrangement, and maintenance of military cemeteries and cemeteries of war victims, inclusion of information about them in the "Book of Memory of the Republic of Belarus" database, creation of museums and memorial complexes, installation of monuments and memorial plaques, and naming geographical locations and organizations after those who died.
Further, by Presidential Decree No. 117 of March 23, 2022, the name of the commemorative date was changed from the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War to the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People. The name change was prepared on the basis of the Law of 5 January 2022 "On the Genocide of the Belarusian People", according to which the facts of committing by Nazi criminals and their accomplices, nationalist formations during the Great Patriotic War and the post-war period of atrocities aimed at the systematic physical destruction of the Belarusian people are recognized as the genocide of the Belarusian people.
Currently, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus is conducting an investigation into the criminal case of the genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War. Before the investigation began, it was believed that 140 major punitive operations had been carried out in Belarus, but the case materials have already proven that at least 187 such operations were carried out. As of May 2026, more than 20,000 victims and witnesses have been interviewed in the case, and 582 inspections have been conducted at potential sites of massacres and burial grounds, as well as 134 excavations. Additionally, 578 forced detention centers, known as death camps, have been identified. The sorrowful list of villages that shared the tragic fate of Khatyn, which were completely burned down along with their inhabitants and never recovered after the war, now includes at least 290 villages. 137 requests for legal assistance in criminal cases have been prepared and sent to 33 foreign countries. 166 previously unknown sites of massacre and burial of genocide victims have been identified, and more than half of them are mass graves. As a result of systematic efforts to preserve historical truth, seven convictions for genocide of the Belarusian people have been issued by the courts.
Every year, on the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People, the Belarusian National Technical University holds commemorative events, which are an important part of the patriotic education of young people. They help to preserve the historical truth and foster a sense of pride in students for their country.
On this day, employees, students, and cadets of the university gather near the main building. The event is filled with words of sorrow and gratitude to the heroes who defended their homeland. Those present express their deep respect for those who ensured a peaceful sky and a bright future for the Belarusian people. The Department of Culture traditionally prepares creative performances on military themes, with the KolLizey Theater Studio bringing to life the pages of history and reminding us of the price paid for Victory.
The event culminates with the All-Belarusian Moment of Silence, which unites the entire country at noon. At this moment, all Belarusians stand still, silently thanking those who fearlessly fought and gave their lives for the prosperity of their homeland. After a minute of silence, representatives of the Belarusian National Technical University lay flowers at the stele dedicated to the teachers, staff, and students of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute who died during the Great Patriotic War.
On this day, as well as on other commemorative dates, representatives of the university take part in city-wide patriotic events. Traditionally, from June 22 to July 3, the cultural and patriotic event "Calendar of Remembrance. Book of Remembrance" takes place on Victory Square. During these days, a symbolic calendar is placed at the monument, with a daily leaf representing the day of remembrance. Next to it is the Book of Remembrance, where anyone can write the names of their relatives who fought in the war, or express their gratitude to the heroes.
Also on this day in 2024, BNTU student activists, with the support of the Center for Ideological and Educational work, organized a flash mob "Songs of Victory". In the Stolitsa shopping center, university students performed legendary songs about the war.
Such events help to foster a sense of patriotism, pride in one's country, and respect for veterans among young people. BNTU is dedicated to training future officers, engineers, and specialists who will carry on the glorious traditions of their ancestors and contribute to the prosperity of their country.
Eternal glory to the fallen defenders of the Fatherland, and eternal memory to the innocent victims of war!
