The Russian Ministry of Defence has honoured seven Vietnamese soldiers who joined the Red Army of the former Soviet Union against fascism, in celebration of the 75th victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Seven Vietnamese soldiers are honoured for joining the Great Patriotic War
in the former Soviet Union (Photo: NDO)

In 1926, on the initiative of Nguyen Ai Quoc, the former name of late President Ho Chi Minh, to the Communist International Executive Committee, some patriotic Vietnamese youths were sent to the Soviet Union to study. When World War II broke out, a number of young men in this group decided to join the Soviet army against Nazi aggression. Many fought bravely and laid down their lives on the battlefield during the war to defend Moscow in 1941.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, in collaboration with relevant Russian agencies and Russian friends, has managed to identify seven Vietnamese soldiers who participated in the Great Patriotic War. The portraits and names of the late soldiers are on display along with many other late Russian soldiers at Kubinka Museum on the outskirts of Moscow that honours those who sacrificed their lives during the past war nearly 8 decades ago. 

Visiting the museum recently, Vietnamese ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh said Vietnam is proud to have soldiers who directly took part in the Great Patriotic War to defend Moscow and the Soviet Union. 

“This demonstrates a vivid manifestation of the traditional and friendly relationship between the people of Vietnam and Russia,” he said. “The Vietnamese people always remember that many Soviet experts came and stood side by side with the Vietnamese people during the past war of national liberation and reunification.”