Monument in memory of Uzbek warriors erected in Belarus: details of the opening ceremony

16 October 2026, 19:06·48·World

A solemn memorial complex dedicated to the Uzbek soldiers who heroically died during the Second World War while liberating Vitebsk region from Nazi-Fascist invaders has been opened in the Vitebsk region of the Republic of Belarus.

The historical memorial was erected in the village of Shapuri in the Vitebsk district. The grand opening ceremony, held on October 15, was attended by official representatives of the two countries, local residents, and a guard of honor.

729 Uzbeks among 18,000 soldiers

The area where the memorial is installed is considered one of the largest and most sacred mass graves in the history of the war:

Huge mass grave: Nearly 18,000 Soviet soldiers have found their eternal rest in this place, 729 of whom are heroes mobilized from Uzbekistan;
General figure for Vitebsk: Sergey Egorov, chairman of the Vitebsk District Executive Committee, noted that this area is considered one of the largest military burial sites in Belarus — overall, more than 1,300 Uzbek soldiers are buried on Vitebsk soil;
Operation Bagration: During the war years, the village of Shapuri became a decisive battlefield in breaking through the German defense and served as an important point in the famous strategic "Bagration" operation.

Official opening ceremony and high-ranking guests

Delegations from both countries attended the event held on the occasion of the unveiling of the memorial stone:

From the Belarusian side: Alexander Rogozhnik, head of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, and regional officials;
From the Uzbek side: Nuriddin Mamatjonov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus, and Shuhratbek Abdurahmonov, Hokim of the Andijan region, participated;
Appearance of the memorial: A bronze plaque installed on a huge natural stone eternally immortalizes in Uzbek and Russian the bravery of Uzbek sons who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom.

This memorial complex became not only a tribute to historical justice and memory, but also an important symbolic step in strengthening the ties of friendship and shared history between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Belarus.