Journalist Alexander Malkevich and military correspondent Maryana Naumova met with guests of the RUSSIA EXPO
On the eve of Defender of the Fatherland Day, cavalier of
the Order of Courage Alexander Malkevich and four-time world champion in
powerlifting, war correspondent, honorary citizen of the DPR Maryana Naumova
shared their understanding of patriotism with the guests of the Exposition.
Maryana noted that in her family this day has always felt
like a holiday, because her great-grandfather reached Berlin during the Great
Patriotic War, her grandfather served in missile units, her father also served
in the army. In turn, Alexander Malkevich reminded that over time, the meaning
of the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland has become a bit blurred, and today
it is necessary to return the patriotic "firmware". Fortunately, in
the last two years great steps have been made in this direction: documentary
and feature films about heroes are being released, festivals of patriotic songs
are being held, collections of military poetry are being published.
The theme of heroism in its modern understanding became the
keynote of the conversation. Alexander Malkevich is a cavalier of the Order of
Courage, at the meeting he told why he received such a high award.
"I received the Order for having survived and helped
others to survive when the Nazis shot a column of civilians with twelve HIMARS
during the evacuation from Kherson in the fall of 2022. That night under the
Antonov Bridge, I became an evacuation expert: we had to free cars, get people
out, and send the wounded to hospitals. We were lucky that the raised pontoon
of the crossing took the main blow, but still five people were killed. Since
then, I know for sure: the main thing in a critical situation is not to panic
and keep a cool mind," said Alexander Malkevich.
Maryana Naumova shared her idea of heroism. She emphasized
that her trips to Donbass helped her to truly understand the meaning of the
word "hero".
"For me, the heroes are Donetsk utility workers who go
out on the streets and do their job under any circumstances. They are bus
drivers who take the route to some outskirts, knowing that they may come under
fire. They are the doctors and teachers who stayed in their towns because
without their knowledge and skills, the residents would be sick. They are the
guys, my peers, who volunteered to go to the battlefront. They could have gone
to a place where there is no shooting, but they did not, because Donbass is
their home, and the home must be defended. It's amazing how much war brings out
the best in a person - your classmate or neighbor can turn out to be a hero. I
think that Defender of the Fatherland Day is a holiday of all these
people," said Maryana Naumova.
Both speakers emphasized the fact that the fighting nowadays
takes place not only in the trenches on the battlefront, but also in the
information space and affects even those who live far from the front line.
Maryana Naumova and Alexander Malkevich emphasized that the best weapon is
knowledge. Modern teenagers should learn the skills of information hygiene: to
be able to choose trustworthy sources on the Internet, to separate fakes from
facts, to focus on competent authors. The speakers also emphasized that now
more than ever it is important to know the history of your country and your
family, because the heroic victories of the past give Russian society the
strength to cope with the challenges of the present.
