Gleb Nikitin laid flowers at the Eternal Flame on the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow.

      On June 22, 2026, at 17:05 Society On June 22, on the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin, laid flowers at the Eternal Flame in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. This was reported by the press service of the regional government. The ceremony was attended by 100-year-old veteran of the Great Patriotic War Vazgen Oganesyan, Russian senator Dmitry Krasnov, chairman of the regional Legislative Assembly Evgeny Lyulin, Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas Georgy, representatives of law enforcement agencies and the regional government, participants of the special military operation, the project "Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region," cadets, and volunteers. Gleb Nikitin emphasized that the war was a tragedy for millions of people - soldiers, workers on the home front, and civilians. According to him, out of 880,000 residents of Gorky who went to the front, more than 330,000 did not return. "For our entire country, this was an incredible tragedy, the consequences of which we are still experiencing," the governor stated. Gleb Nikitin added that today the events of the past are perceived especially acutely against the backdrop of ongoing drone attacks. The head of the region drew a parallel between the feat of the residents of Gorky, who built defensive lines and went to the front as volunteers, and modern volunteers joining the ranks of "BARS-NN." "It always seemed to us that this was a long time ago, but reality shows: all this is very close. That is why this day must be remembered and lessons must be learned. The main one is the courage of the people themselves," Nikitin said. The governor also reminded that the war left thousands of children without parents. If in 1941 there were 28 orphanages in the region housing more than 2,200 children, by the beginning of 1943 their number had increased to 117, and the number of wards exceeded 11,700. Children from Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moscow, and Leningrad, as well as 48 children of Polish citizens, were evacuated to the Gorky region. At 12:15, the region joined the nationwide minute of silence in memory of the 27 million who died during the Great Patriotic War. Chairman of the Legislative Assembly Evgeny Lyulin stated that a whole generation gave their lives to stop Nazism; however, according to him, modern events show that the threat has re-emerged. He mentioned the shelling of peaceful cities, the death of students from strikes in Starobilsk, and children in a bus near Bryansk, emphasizing the need for societal unity and readiness to defend the future of the country. Additionally, according to the data from the committee on archives of the Nizhny Novgorod region, during the Great Patriotic War, 79 units and parts of the Red Army were formed in the region, and more than 100,000 residents joined the people's militia. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to 271 residents of Gorky, with Vasily Ryazanov and Arseny Vorozheikin being honored twice. Another 50 residents of the region became full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory. The region's industry played a significant role in supplying the front. During the war years, more than 38,000 tanks and armored vehicles, over 16,000 aircraft, more than 101,000 artillery pieces, 1,165 "Katyusha" launchers, three armored trains, and 27 submarines were produced in the Gorky region. In addition, the front received more than 150 million ammunition, thousands of tractors, and tens of thousands of horses. The region also sent food aid: over one million tons of flour and cereals, almost 1.4 million tons of bread, hundreds of thousands of tons of potatoes, vegetables, meat, and milk. In 2020, Nizhny Novgorod was awarded the honorary title of "City of Labor Valor" by a decree of the President of Russia. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+