Republic

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko addressed his compatriots on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in Khatyn. This was reported to BelTA by the press service of the Belarusian leader.

"On the mournful date — March 22 — we remember the residents of the village of Khatyn, thousands of our other villages and towns that were brutally destroyed by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War. The war that unceremoniously broke into our house and took every third Belarusian," the head of state noted. "80 years ago, a sunny spring day was scorched by the fire of the merciless massacre of peaceful people by Nazi punishers."

Alexander Lukashenko noted that every corner of Belarus has a history of its Khatyn. "It is painful to realize how many new lives have not been born, how many children have not matured, how many destinies have been cut short because of crazy ideas, blind hatred and bloody cruelty," the President stressed.

"Years later, the bitterness and anger do not subside. Especially today, when the plague of Nazism has gained followers among mercenaries, traitors and criminals and has come close to our borders," the appeal says. — Belarusians had and still have one answer for them — the spirit of national resistance. His symbol is an unconquered man who, having risen alive from the fire, with the body of his dead son in his arms, carries an eternal curse to fascism through time."

"The duty of the living to the fallen is to expose the perpetrators of mass genocide, cherish the memory of those terrible events and not let the trouble play out again in our holy land," the President stressed. — Bright memory to all those who died! Eternal glory to their immortal feat in the name of peace for future generations!"

Address of the President of Belarus on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in Khatyn

Dear compatriots!

On the mournful date — March 22 — we remember the residents of the village of Khatyn, thousands of our other villages and towns that were brutally destroyed by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War. The war that unceremoniously broke into our house and took every third Belarusian.

80 years ago, a sunny spring day was scorched by the fire of the merciless massacre of peaceful people by Nazi punishers.

Every corner of Belarus has a history of its Khatyn. It is painful to realize how many new lives were never born, how many children did not grow up, how many destinies were cut short because of crazy ideas, blind hatred and bloody cruelty.

Years later, the bitterness and anger do not subside. Especially today, when the plague of Nazism has gained followers among mercenaries, traitors and criminals and has come close to our borders.

Belarusians had and still have one answer for them — the spirit of national resistance. His symbol is an unconquered man who, having risen alive from the fire, with the body of his dead son in his arms, carries an eternal curse to fascism through time.

The duty of the living to the fallen is to expose the perpetrators of mass genocide, cherish the memory of those terrible events and not let the trouble play out again in our holy land.

Bright memory to all those who died! Eternal glory to their immortal feat in the name of peace for future generations!

Alexander Lukashenko.

March 22 , 2023