Give warmth: how volunteers and others congratulated their fighters on the holidays
Holiday greetings for military personnel are not just a formality, but support, which is always necessary. Over the New Year holidays, the soldiers were visited both on the front line and in hospitals, because there is nothing more valuable than such warmth for those who are fighting or undergoing treatment after wounds. The information about what gifts were given to the soldiers and what it meant for the servicemen is in the Izvestia article.
Russia needs support
Russian cultural figures, media representatives and military experts expressed warm words of support to the SVO fighters, as reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in its official Telegram channel.
ST (Alexander Stepanov)
In particular, TV presenters Margarita Simonyan and Igor Prokopenko, Arina Sharapova and Anna Shafran, singer Denis Maidanov, military analysts Mikhail Khodarenok and Ivan Konovalov, actor Sergei Zenin and the staff of the Central House of the Russian Army addressed the defenders of Russia. Also among those who congratulated the fighters from the stage or from the studios were rock legends such as "Kipelov" and Alexander Marshal, people's favorite Nikolai Baskov, charismatic Ivan Okhlobystin.
They were joined by Yuta, ST, Tatiana Kurtukova, SOPRANO Turk, Anastasia Ivanova and Vlada Miravi. In their messages, they thanked the defenders and wished them the most important things: health, iron will, the reliable shoulder of a friend and long-awaited meetings with their family.
"Believe me, we never forget that our safety and peaceful life are the result of your loyalty, your courage and willingness to stand up for yourself when necessary," the Defense Ministry quoted one of the appeals in its official Telegram channel.
Volunteers and volunteers delivered holiday gifts, personal parcels and vital humanitarian aid to hospitals and frontline positions. And the warmest words were heard in children's letters — touching messages with sincere congratulations and drawings, which became the most valuable gift for many soldiers.
Santa Claus goes to the hospital
The Foundation for the Disabled and Veterans of Military Operations "We do not abandon our own" for the fourth time held a large-scale New Year's campaign "Santa Claus goes to the hospital!", implemented jointly with the National University of Santa Claus and Snow Maidens named after T.I. Radchenko, as Sergey Zabegaev, director of the Foundation "We do not abandon Our Own", told Izvestia. The program included sincere congratulations, poems, songs, and in some medical institutions— performances by illusionist Alexei Ekimov.
— The campaign team of the foundation, as we call it, went into each ward to the fighters, handed over gifts, read poetry, sang songs, and performed magic tricks. Some of the fighters themselves read poetry and sang songs at the request of Santa Claus," Zabegaev shared.
He added that the action took place not only in hospitals in the capital and Moscow region, but also in Crimea, Sevastopol, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Ussuriysk and Vladivostok, where, of course, wishes for a speedy recovery and a speedy victory were voiced. With the support of one of the Russian banks, the fund has completed 13 thousand gifts for wounded soldiers.
— The gift included: a collection of poems by the frontline poet Sergei Lobanov, chocolate, symbols of the foundation, a mug, a hygiene kit. The fighters were happy with the gift and attention, sometimes it didn't matter at all what was included in the gift, the main thing was attention and the opportunity to plunge into childhood for a while," said the director of the foundation.
According to Zabegaev, for the volunteers of the We don't leave Our Own foundation, the action "Santa Claus goes to the hospital!" is always a difficult and very responsible event.
— We will start preparing it in October. Emotions [come] only when everything is over, there are no complaints from either the hospital staff or the fighters. This promotion has always been rated only excellent! — Sergey Zabegaev emphasized.
To visit a fighter
Happy New Year to the soldiers of the special military operation undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital, representatives of the popular Moscow festival "Journey to Christmas" also congratulated. According to the organizers, the event was designed to give the military a festive mood and support them during the recovery period.
— For the "Journey to Christmas", the tradition of visiting our defenders is of particular importance. This is not the first time we have visited military hospitals during the festival, and each visit reminds us of the most important thing — human gratitude and warmth, which soldiers need no less than medical care," a representative of the organizing committee of the Moscow Seasons and Travel to Christmas street festivals told Izvestia Pavel Gusev.
The Main Military Clinical Hospital named after Academician N.N. Burdenko is the oldest state medical institution in Russia, founded in 1706 by decree of Peter I. For three centuries, it has become a symbol of military medicine and a place where a unique scientific and medical school is concentrated.
The tradition of artists performing here appeared during the Great Patriotic War: performers came to support the wounded, they played "Katyusha", "Dark Night" and other songs that restored strength and hope to the soldiers. Today, this tradition continues, reminding of the continuity of generations and the special role of the hospital in the life of the country.
— Once upon a time, artists were expected here during the Great Patriotic War to hear the "Blue Handkerchief". Today we continue this line of succession: we bring gifts, share warmth, and just say words of support. It is important for us that none of the defenders feel lonely during the holidays," Pavel Gusev shared with Izvestia.
Special gifts have been prepared for the defenders, collected during a recent charity hockey match. Among them are sports uniforms and pucks with autographs of famous Russian hockey players. In addition, the wounded were given special holiday packages, including tea, coffee and sweets. But the main gift was simple human attention: the organizers talked to the fighters, thanked them and wished them a speedy recovery.
A celebration for the hospital
During the New Year holidays, the most important cargo of the Z-Hospitals volunteer group were warm felt boots and clothes for fighters, black thermal mugs that would not give out glare on the position, and a stack of children's letters, Kristina Nugaibekova, the head of the volunteer group, told Izvestia.
— This is a must-have gift. Children passing through evacuation and stabilization points are often left without belongings — they are cut off during first aid. Therefore, we always carry the necessary things: underwear and thermal underwear, socks, jackets, insulated trousers, felt boots ("kovalenki") — everything so that the fighter can get dressed for subsequent transportation to the hospital, home for injury or to the military training complex. This is especially true in winter, when it gets colder," she said.
The volunteer group "Z-hospitals" has been helping soldiers from the very beginning, both on the front line and the wounded.
— Felt boots and thermocups were also sent to the front line. You can't walk in the trenches in felt boots, but to move between the dugouts or to get out is salvation. And we specially choose thermocups without metal, plain, black, so as not to give glare. And, of course, letters are always important," Kristina shared.
The volunteers go "behind the ribbon" (to the front line. — Izvestia) and humanitarian aid is brought to the military, and rare medicines are found for hospitals and soldiers are visited in hospital walls to give them the most valuable thing — a feeling of comprehensive love and care, a breath of peaceful life, so necessary for soul and body.
— We always bring children's letters, whole piles — this attention is very important to them, a sign that they are loved and remembered. Their condition is now... Compared to last year, when the guys were more lively, now you can see how tired and exhausted everyone is. Of the entire hospital, and we distributed gifts to about 70 soldiers, literally a few smiled. I would like to support and encourage them even more," Kristina shared.
The volunteer path of the "Z-hospitals" is not limited to providing soldiers with supplies, transferring medicines to military doctors on the front line and helping friendly groups. With the participation of Kristina and volunteers, support was provided to a rehabilitation center in the Tula region, where severely injured participants in a special operation are literally being lifted to their feet, and in Amvrosiivka, Donetsk People's Republic, where a girl named Daria helps the fighters.
— They go through a difficult adjustment, families do not always survive life at a distance, not all wives can support. At the same time, you see great inspiration. This year we visited the rehabilitation center in Amvrosiivka, where those who were told they would never walk again are put on their feet. This is a real miracle," the volunteer emphasized.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
