65th Great Victory Anniversary: Pskov receives honorary title “City of Military Glory”

Pskov has been awarded with a honorary title “City of Military Glory”. The respective Decree № 1387 of December, 5 was signed by the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. The city has been for many years striving for this honorary title. This was reported by the Head of the City of Pskov Ivan Tsetsersky.

During the Russian Organizing Committee “Pobeda” (“Victory”) session, which took place on October, 14 in Moscow it was decided to announce Pskov among the top three cities to get the honorary title “City of Military Glory”. The final decision is made by the President of the Russian Federation in the Presidential Degree. Among other 5 cities who had been competing to get the honorary title were the following: Kozelsk, Zvenigorod, Kashira, Arkhangelsk and Nizhniy Novgorod.

In September 2009 the members of the Organizing Committee “Pobeda” paid a visit to the City of Pskov, went to see the historical places of Pskov, the memorials and military burial places. The experts highlighted the military-patriotic work, carried out in the city, the work of the veteran’s organizations, military-patriotic clubs and educational institutions. The inclusion of the city in the number of contenders for the honorary title “City of Military Glory” became possible due to the active policy of the City Duma of Pskov, the Administration of the city of Pskov, the veteran’s organizations and representatives of the community. 

The Federal Law “On the honorary title of the Russian Federation “City of Military Glory” was passed by the State Duma on April, 4 2006, approved by the Federation Council of Russia on April, 26 2006  and signed by the President of the Russian Federation on May, 9 2006. The law establishes that the conditions and order of the honorary title “City of Military Glory” awarding is defined by the President of the Russian Federation.

According to the Federal Law the title “City of Military Glory” is awarded to the cities of Russia, on the territory of which or in the immediate vicinity of which during the desperate battles the defenders of the Fatherland displayed courage, determination and mass heroism, which had had a decisive role in the outcome of war. The city of the Military Glory may be provided with the rights and responsibilities on preservation of the military-patriotic heritage, on the development of measures, aimed at the patriotic upbringing of Russian citizens. Stele with the image of coat of arms of the city and the text of the Presidential Decree on awarding the honorary title to this city is established in the city. It also holds series of public functions and fireworks in commemoration of February, 23 (Defender of the Fatherland Day), May, 9 (Victory Day), and also the Day of the City.

Pskov has got a glorious and heroic history, which demonstrates the strong spirit of Russian people. The first records in the Pskov chronicles narrate about numerous invasions in the town, however never had the enemies succeeded to conquer it. In 1242 the German invaders were defeated by Alexander Nevsky on the ice of Chudskoe (Peipsi) Lake. After the Battle of the Ice Pskov had been for many years heroically protecting the city and the country from the invaders.

During the Great Patriotic War the desperate battles with German troops took place on the territory of Pskov land. The partisan detachments were organized near Pskov soon after the beginning of the War and already in August 1941 the Partisan krai appeared in Pskov land, which the fascists however didn’t succeed to destroy till the end of the war. Even during the first days of the War Pskov set an example of the remarkable heroism. The first to receive the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War were three aircraft pilots who rammed into the enemies’ planes – Zdorovtsev, Kharitonov and Zhukov. The Day of the liberation, the main holiday of the residents of Pskov, is celebrated on July, 23.