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The fighters of the USUE student squad "Honor and Memory" returned from the 10th Interregional Search Expedition "Memory Watch", which took place in the Volgograd Region. During the excavations, the students discovered not only the remains of soldiers, but also the skeleton of a military aircraft..jpeg)
Three-week search operations were conducted in a field near the village of Solyanka. During the Great Patriotic War, the front line passed through this place. In November 1942, the Red Army's counter-offensive operation "Uranus" began here. It began on November 19, 1942, after an 80-minute artillery barrage and salvoes from Katyusha rocket launchers. In fact, this was the beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad. The fighting lasted until February 1943. Over 2 million people died in the battles. The Red Army lost more than a million soldiers and officers.
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This summer, student squads discovered the remains of nine soldiers who defended Stalingrad. Unfortunately, the identities can only be established after DNA testing. Only one medallion was found, in which soldiers usually put a piece of paper with their name and place of birth. But the medallion contained needles and thread. In addition, the student searchers found several Mosin rifles. Such weapons were issued to privates. Used Romanian-made cartridges, toothbrushes, gas masks, machine gun disks, scraps of German newspaper, and uniforms were also raised to the surface..jpeg)
“The USUE student brigade fighters found two helmets. This is the SSh-36 helmet, also called the “Khalkhingolka,” and the SSh-39/40 helmet. Both will go to the USUE museum, and in September they will be presented on the second floor of the university’s main building,” said Nikita Kosarev, head of the USUE “Honor and Memory” brigade.
Another area of search and research work was the inspection of the crash site of the Soviet PE-2 aircraft. Fragments of the aircraft and the remains of the crew were found there. Now specialists are finding out the engine number of the aircraft, with the help of which it will be possible to trace the history of the combat vehicle.
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For the fighters of the student teams, participation in expeditions is not an easy task. Not everyone is psychologically prepared to work with human remains. Despite this, many fighters return to duty. For second-year student and commissioner of the USUE student team Roman Kukhar, this is the first search expedition. He went because the truth is important to him..jpeg)
“Search and research work is important for preserving the memory of the past for future generations. The number of veterans who could pass on history is decreasing every year. And there is almost no one left to tell about that time. Who else, besides searchers, will preserve and pass on this memory? Our direct purpose is not excavations, but preserving the memory of the war heroes,” says Roman.
"Memory Watch" is an all-Russian public movement aimed at searching for the remains of soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War and perpetuating their memory. More than 800 student searchers from 20 regions of Russia took part in the 10th Interregional Student "Memory Watch". But this expedition is not the last one for the fighters of the USUE "Honor and Memory" detachment this year. From August 13 to 23, the Interregional Search Expedition "Leningrad Front" will be held, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Leningrad. Two students from the Ural State University of Economics will take part in it.
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