In Brest, the memory of the fallen during the Great Patriotic War was honored at the Candle of Memory campaign

Thousands of people honored the fallen heroes during the Great Patriotic War at the Candle of Memory action, which takes place near the walls of the Brest Fortress. The footage of the event on June 22 is published by Izvestia.

On June 22, 1941, the sleeping Brest was awakened by a hurricane of enemy artillery fire. 7 thousand shells rained down on the fortress.

According to the calculations of the German command, the garrison had to hold out for no more than eight hours. However, instead of capitulating, the defenders of the citadel met the enemy with fierce resistance. One of the groups of Red Army soldiers was commanded by political instructor Ilya Semochkin. He took his family to an air raid shelter and went to repel another attack.

"While we were in the fortress, we knew that my father was fighting, they said that he was alive and well, but we could not approach him. The Germans blocked them and tightly held them there," said Vladimir Semochkin, the son of the defender of the Brest fortress.

The defense lasted more than a month. The invaders were forced to suspend their offensive, pulling additional equipment and forces to Brest. The situation inside the citadel was critical — supplies were rapidly running out.

"There was a shortage of ammunition, the warehouses were burning after the shelling. Of course, there was not enough water and food," said Anna Lysenkova, researcher at the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial Complex.

Despite loudspeakers and flyers calling for surrender, the defenders fought to the end. Many of the wounded left for the last battle, leaving inscriptions on the walls with their last words.

The last defender, Major Gavrilov, was captured on July 23. It was only years later that the story of the heroic defense of the Brest Fortress became known to the general public. Today, she is recognized as a symbol of perseverance, courage and devotion to the Motherland.

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On June 22, Russian military personnel honored the memory of the heroes at the Memorial Candle action, which takes place at the Main Temple of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Patriot Park in the Moscow Region. The event was held in the Central Military-Patriotic Park of Culture near the Main Temple of the Russian Armed Forces. Young servicemen and activists gathered around him, many of whom have been coming here for years to honor the memory of the Heroes of the Fatherland.