Project "The Story of One Monument"
проект по английскому языку (9 класс)

The theme of the project   - "The Story of One Monument"

The theme for discussion:  Look at the pictures. Which of them impressed you most of all? Vote for your favourite one.

Annotation

In every big city and in every small town there are monuments and memorials. Why do people build them? People want to keep important events in their memory and remember their heroes forever… They want to come to them, bring flowers, think in silence and say "Thank you" …

The Memorial to the Heroes of Undeclared Wars

The Memorial to the heroes of undeclared wars* was opened in Khimki a few years ago. It is located in the city square and is part of an extensive memorial complex: there is also immortalized* the memory of those who died on the fronts of the great Patriotic war, created memorials dedicated to home front workers and liquidators of the Chernobyl accident. A monument to nurses who saved thousands of lives during the war years is also installed in the Park.

The memorial dedicated to the heroes of the undeclared wars immortalized the memory of special forces soldiers who died in the course of local hostilities*. The monument in Khimki is the only monument in this country dedicated to their memory.

For a long time, the names of our compatriots* who participated in local military operations (for example, in Afghanistan) were hushed up*. It was not mentioned that participants in undeclared wars often showed miracles of heroism. The idea of opening the memorial was born out of the desire to eliminate this injustice.

The initiative to create the monument belongs to the special forces officers, who themselves participated in local wars in the past. A significant contribution to the project was made by the mothers of the fallen soldiers of special forces units. Funds for the creation and installation of the monument came from both individuals and organizations. Active financial participation in the creation of the monument was made by the inhabitants of the various regions of our country.

The sculptor depicted the symbol of the commandos* — eagle with outstretched wings, with the beak. This image is crowned with a high granite column, which immortalized the names of two thousand sixty soldiers who gave their lives on the battlefields of these undeclared conflicts and wars. At the foot of the monument lies an unfading stone rose. The last name was engraved on February 15, 2013 - Ilya Vladimirovich Shainsky, senior lieutenant  of "Pennant", who died in the North Caucasus during a military clash with militants.

The  memorial was opened on September 8, 2007.

The initiator of the memorial was a former officer of special forces, A. Musienko. His idea wss supported by A. Novoselov, I. Semenov, former officers too. They contributed their personal money for the design and creation of the sculpture.

The former deputy commander* of the 1st company of special purposes of the 334-th separate brigade of special forces, veteran of the war in Afghanistan Igor Semyonov supervised personally the entire construction process, providing all necessary extra support and assistance when it was necessary.

A great contribution to the construction of the memorial complex was made by soldiers of special forces of different years and generations. The initiative was supported by the mothers of the dead soldiers. Funds for the construction of the memorial came to a special charity account from both individuals and organizations from different parts of the country.

Alexander Musienko, Colonel of MID (Main Intelligence Directorate) special forces.

Born on March 16, 1964.

Awarded the Order of the Red Star, "For personal courage", "For service to the Motherland in the armed forces of the USSR" the 3rd degree, "For services to the Fatherland" the 4th degree with swords and the  "Order of Courage".

He fought in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Chechnya (in the second campaign). In Afghanistan for two years he commanded a group of the 1st company of the 154th special forces detachment of the MID of the General Staff*, he  was the deputy commander of the company of the 334th squad, working effectively while ambushing caravans with weapons, marching from Pakistan and attacks on bases of the Mujahideen*. In Tajikistan, Musienko led the partisans’ movement of the People's front. In Chechnya and Dagestan he developed operations for elimination of the three field commanders, the most odious ones, and was personally involved in all these operations. For almost 20 years of military life he participated in more than 150 combat operations.

Every year on Victory Day and on the Day of Landing troops veterans of undeclared wars and former paratroopers come to the memorial complex to meet and remember their friends, fellow soldiers* and all the dead.

*New vocabulary

undeclared wars – wars that were not declared (необъявленные войны)

immortalized – remembered for a very long time (увековечены)

hostilities -  fighting in a war (боевые действия)

compatriots – persons who come from the same country (соотечественники)

hushed up – tried to prevent people from discovering some particular facts (замалчивали)

commandos – members of a small group of soldiers that are specially trained to make attacks on      

                       enemy areas which are very dangerous (спецназ)

a deputy commander – a person whose rank is immediately below that  of a commander 

                                       (заместитель командира)

the MID of the General Staff (the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff) – Главное  

                                                                   разведывательное управление Генерального штаба

fellow soldiers = brother-soldiers - soldiers fighting in one unit (однополчане)

Mujahideen – моджахеды

Activities

• Answer the questions:

• Monuments and memorials – are they important and why?
• Why are many people willing to donate their money for the construction of monuments?
• Where is the Memorial to the heroes of undeclared wars located?
• When was this Memorial opened?
• There are many such monuments in this country, aren’t there?

• Vote for the picture that impressed you the most. Give reasons.
• Write to us about the monument or memorial you like in Khimki.