Opinions & Interviews

Novgorod Oblast governor: Belarus-Russia bonds cannot be destroyed by Telegram channels

MINSK, 17 October (BelTA) – The historical bonds between Belarus and Russia cannot be severed by any Telegram channels, Governor of Russia’s Novgorod Oblast Andrei Nikitin said during a meeting with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on 17 October, BelTA has learned.

“It is a pleasure to be here, to experience the famous Belarusian hospitality. It is amazing indeed,” the governor said at the beginning of the meeting.
 
In his words, there are at least two things in the common history that no one can change. “The first thing has to do with the Great Patriotic War. Back in the times of the Soviet Union, Novgorod Oblast was the place where the first squads searching for graves and remains of the war dead were formed. Now squads from Belarus take an active part in search expeditions in Novgorod Oblast. Every year a team from Brest comes there. Over the recent years alone, remains of about 80 Red Army soldiers and officers, natives of Belarus, were found in forests and marshes of Novgorod Oblast,” the governor said.

“These bonds cannot be destroyed by any Telegram channels or other things. These bonds will remain intact forever,” Andrei Nikitin said.

“There is another important thing – Sophia of Novgorod, Sophia of Polotsk [churches]. The foundation of our entire history is in Belarus and in the territory of Novgorod Oblast. This fact cannot be erased or misinterpreted, either,” the governor added.

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