On January 26, the delegation led by the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, comprised of the RA NA deputies Hayk Babukhanyan and Romik Manukyan accompanied by the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg Vyacheslav Makarov within the framework the events dedicated to End Day of Leningrad Blockade took part in the opening ceremony of the monument The Courage of the Leningrad Citizens Defending Our City . The Governor of the City of Saint Petersburg State Georgy Poltavchenko took part in the ceremony.
The benefactor of the Armenian descent Hrachya Poghosyan initiated and assisted the building of the monument.
The RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov delivered a speech, where it particularly said:
“Dear colleagues,
The fight against fascism and Nazism in the Great Patriotic War is our peoples’ joint victory. Since the first days of the war hundreds of thousands of Armenians have left for the front to defend the mankind from the fascism. The heroic defense of Leningrad is one of the most significant events of the Great Patriotic War. Here about twenty thousand Armenian sons were deceased. The Armenian people’s significant role is indisputable in the defense of Leningrad. By defending Leningrad they were also defending Armenia from fascism. Anastas Mikoyan was leading the provision of food to the city being under blockade and to the front, Admiral Isakov was defending Leningrad in the Baltic Sea, the world famous orientalist Hovsep Orbeli was organizing the evacuation of Hermitage Museum exhibits, and Nelson Stepanyan was defending the sky of Leningrad.
Dear friends,
Today, opening this exquisite monument, we once again say our decisive ‘no’ to any manifestation of fascism, Nazism and xenophobia. The defense of Leningrad is our peoples’ united victory, and we have no right to leave in oblivion that heroic deed.”