Monument to Vietnamese international volunteers who fought to protect the capital Moscow during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA correspondent in Russia

Also attending the event were Senior Lieutenant General Viktor Goremykin, Deputy Minister of Defense , Director of the Main Political-Military Department of the Russian Armed Forces; Senior Lieutenant General Alexander Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to the Russian Federation Dang Minh Khoi.

During the period 1926-1930, a number of patriotic Vietnamese youths were introduced by comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc (ie President Ho Chi Minh ) to study in Moscow. When Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union, they volunteered to join the International Regiment of the Special Mechanized Infantry Brigade (OMSBON) of the Soviet People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs to participate in the battle to defend the capital Moscow. In the winter of 1941-1942, Vietnamese international volunteers fought bravely to defend Moscow and together with the Soviet army and people, drove Nazi Germany out of the gates of Moscow. Three comrades, Ly Nam Thanh, Ly Anh Tao, and Ly Thuc Chat, died at the front. In 1986, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union posthumously awarded noble Orders and Medals to these soldiers.

In 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defense requested the Vietnamese side to coordinate in reviewing and considering the possibility of providing more information about individuals and relatives of Vietnamese international volunteers who participated in the fight to protect Moscow during the Great Patriotic War, to supplement the database in the "Road of Memory" Museum in the Cathedral of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Patriot Park. At the same time, implementing the direction of the head of the Ministry of Defense on Russia's request to provide comments on the draft of the monument to Vietnamese international volunteers, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army directed the Propaganda Department to preside over the research and proposal; then report and propose that the head of the Ministry of Defense agree with the draft of the monument prepared by the Russian side. At the same time, agencies, units, localities and families of the soldiers reviewed and selected appropriate images and documents to provide to the Russian side through diplomatic channels.

The statue complex consists of three statues created by sculptor Alexey Chebanenko, named “Allies - Vietnamese Soldiers”, depicting the images of soldiers Ly Nam Thanh, Ly Anh Tao, and Ly Thuc Chat in Soviet Red Army uniforms, stationed at defensive positions to protect Moscow and fighting to their last breath. Also on the morning of August 12, the monument “Allies - Yugoslavian Guerrillas” by Lyudmila Semikopenko and the monument “Allies - Normandy - Neman Regiment” by Dmitry Klavsuts were also inaugurated in the complex.

Speaking at the ceremony, General Phan Van Giang expressed his emotion when he and the leaders of the Russian Ministry of Defense and delegates inaugurated the monument; at the same time, he emphasized that the Ministry of Defense and the Vietnam People's Army highly appreciated and sincerely thanked the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for building the monument. General Phan Van Giang stated that the monument to Vietnamese international volunteers in the suburbs of Moscow, together with the Memorial to Soviet/Russian-Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed for peace and regional stability in Khanh Hoa province, are both a testament to historical tradition and a symbol of efforts to consolidate and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

For his part, Colonel General Viktor Goremykin emphasized that Vietnamese soldiers volunteered to participate in the battle to defend Moscow, one of the important battles in the Great Patriotic War, and believed that the monuments would contribute to preserving historical memories of the Great Patriotic War, as well as contributing to strengthening cooperation and tightening friendship between the two countries.

General Phan Van Giang visited and encouraged Ms. Le Thi Phuong, daughter of one of the soldiers who participated in protecting Moscow, Ly Phu San (real name Le Phan Chan). Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA correspondent in Russia

At the ceremony, General Phan Van Giang visited and encouraged Ms. Le Thi Phuong, daughter of one of the soldiers who participated in protecting Moscow, Ly Phu San (Le Phan Chan), who is living in Moscow. General Phan Van Giang presented Ms. Le Thi Phuong with the national flag with the wish that her family will always look towards their homeland and the country and hoped that she and her family will soon return to visit their homeland Vietnam.

A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense took a souvenir photo at the Monument to Vietnamese International Volunteers who fought to protect the capital Moscow during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA correspondent in Russia

According to baotintuc.vn