Last Saturday the Borisoglebsk Aviation Base (Voronezh Region), which belongs to the Air Force Training Center of the Russian Air Force, celebrated a special holiday. A representative delegation of the Russian Ministry of Defense, headed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, arrived in the city.
In front of the main building of the Borisoglebsk Aviation Base (formerly the Borisoglebsk Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots - BVVAUL named after V. P. Chkalov), a memorial was opened dedicated to the Heroes of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, ever produced by the legendary military school of Borisoglebsk.
The first to speak at the solemn opening ceremony of the monument named "Chkalovtsy. Heroes of the Fatherland" was the Air Force Commander, whose name is also on the list on the wall of heroes. Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev is a 1981 graduate of the BVVAUL named after V. P. Chkalov and a Hero of Russia.
The ceremony was attended by the head of the Air Force Military Educational and Scientific Center “Air Force Academy named after N. E. Zhukovsky and Yu. A. Gagarin "(VUNC VVS" VVA ") of Voronezh, Lieutenant General Gennady Zibrov. He spoke about the fact that already in 2016-2017. The Borisoglebsk air base, after a rather long break, which clearly did not benefit the country's Air Force, will again accept cadets. At the first stage, these will be senior cadets of the VUNC Air Force "VVA", who entered the Krasnodar branch of the military educational and scientific center.
For Borisoglebsk, the revival of the air base and the involvement of cadets of the VUNC Air Force "VVA" in the city is a truly significant event. The fact is that Borisoglebsk itself for a long period of time (Soviet times) in different parts of the country was associated precisely with the presence in the city of one of the oldest aviation schools in Russia. The legendary Valery Chkalov was also a graduate of this school. If the military school acquires a new life, then for the entire city it will become a significant stimulus to a new stage of development. The opening ceremony was attended by the head of the city of Borisoglebsk Aleksey Kabargin, who drew special attention to the connection between the fate of the city and the fate of the military school.
During the opening ceremony of the Chkalovtsi. Heroes of the Fatherland Lieutenant General Gennady Zibrov said that in 2015 six graduates of the Borisoglebsk cadet school will enter the VUNC VVA Air Force in order to wear officer shoulder straps of the Air Force of the Russian Federation in the future.
The opening ceremony of the new memorial in Borisoglebsk was attended by the ex-commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force (1991-1998) Pyotr Deinekin. The former head of the Borisoglebsk Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (1986-1990), Major General Anatoly Morozov, also spoke about a big event for the air base and all aviation in Russia.
Servicemen of the guard of honor of the VUNC Air Force "VVA", a military orchestra and military vocal performers presented a rich program to the assembled Borisoglebsk and guests of the city. The company of the guard of honor presented a performance with carbines and checkers, and the military band impressed with the virtuoso performance of melodies from songs about military pilots.
Cadets of the VUNC VSS "VVA", veterans (graduates of the Borisoglebsk military school), representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the city administration laid flowers at the bust of V. P. Chkalov and busts of twice Heroes of the Soviet Union installed at the new memorial. The memorial, by the way, is located on Chkalov Street, which is very symbolic.
The culmination of the opening ceremony was the greeting of the townspeople and guests of the city from the Borisoglebsk aerobatic team "Wings of Tavrida", performing on the new combat training aircraft Yak-130. The aerobatic team received its name due to the fact that for the first time its skills were officially demonstrated in the sky of the Crimea. Wings of Taurida is the youngest aerobatic team of the Russian Air Force.
Additional photo report from the ceremony:
