Group of Companies «Titan» honored the veterans of Afghanistan

Event commemorating the 30th anniversary of drawdown of Soviet troops from Afghanistan took place on February 14 in corporate museum of the Group of Companies «Titan». 19 employees of the Group of Companies «Titan» and «Poliom» Ltd. — veterans of war in Afghanistan — were honoured guests at the event.

In total there are 24 employees of Titan who participated in armed conflict in Afghanistan, most of which — 16 persons — are employees of the largest petrochemical enterprise of the region — «Omsky kauchuk» plant. There are peacekeeping soldiers among employees of vehicle company «INVESTKHIMPROM», «Titan-Agro», «GC «Titan» JSC and «Poliom» (joint venture of the Group of Companies «Titan», SIBUR and Gazprom Neft). The event was the first meeting of veterans of Afghanistan War among employees of Titan with participation of the veterans' relatives, representatives of Youth Social Initiatives Center of the Group of Companies «Titan» and schoolchildren of gymnasium No 12 — educational partner of «Omsky kauchuk» plant. Topic-specific exposition was exhibited in the museum.

The guests heard complimentary speech of Mikhail Sutyaginsky, head of the Group of Companies «Titan» after which held a moment of silence in honor of those perished in the war. Alexandr Ryzhikh, service technician of «Omsky kauchuk» plant shared his memories about military service. Irina Tachenina, Deputy Head of the HR Department of «Omsky kauchuk» told about how she had seen off three of her brothers to Afghanistan and about their destinies.

Young people took active part in the event as well. Laboratory worker of quality control department of the plant Kristina Zimina read out her own verse. Schoolchildren of Gymnasium No 12 sang the song of Yuri Vizbor «Keep calm comrade» and performed a piece of «You are my sun» from documentary narrative of Svetlana Alexievich «Boys in Zink».

Decoration of peacekeeping soldiers with commemorative medals in honor of the 30th anniversary of drawdown of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was key part of the event. The medals were given out by Vladimir Fadeyev, head of the Executive Committee of Omsk Regional Social Organization «Russian Union of Veterans of Afghanistan» and Chairman of Interregional Social Organization «Union of Paratroopers».

«Dear comrades, each of us has his own date of drawdown from Afghanistan, but on February 15 we will together celebrate the 30th anniversary of the day when last Soviet soldier crossed the boundary river and our mothers could open the postboxes without fear», told Alexei Melnikov in his speech to veterans. «Two years of military service turned out to be very long, and these thirty by far calmer years flew past very fast. Something we have lost, something we have found, now we have children and grandchildren. Today I wish you and your families health, prosperity, good luck in all of your initiatives for another thirty years»!

At the end of the event the Group of Companies «Titan» presented gifts and all guests took some photos together.

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