Forgotten Cossack heroes honored in Moscow’s *Memory Watch* ceremony
A mass military-patriotic event, Memory Watch, took place near Fedyukovo village in Moscow’s Volokolamsk District. The gathering honoured the Kuban Cossacks who defended the capital in 1941. Organisers included Moscow’s Department of National Policy and the Kuban Land Society.
The event marked the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, focusing on a lesser-known battle. Unlike the famous Panfilov heroes, the Kuban Cossacks’ stand near Moscow remained unrecognised for decades. Their 4th Cavalry Squadron blocked enemy tanks and infantry at great cost.
Wreaths and fresh flowers were laid at the Memorial Cross and stone tablets bearing the Cossacks’ names. Several participants received public honours for their contributions. Nikolai Yeremichev, head of the All-Russian Saber Fencing Federation Kazarla, and Yury Berezetsky, director of the Cossack Affairs Directorate, addressed the crowd.
Filipp Bogdashko, whose father survived the battle, helped uncover the stories of the Kuban Cossack Regiment. Alongside Alexei Likhonin, chairman of the Kuban Land Society, he presented documentary books to museums and officials. Many Cossacks, including Bogdashko’s ancestors, later celebrated Victory in Germany after surviving the 1941 fight.
The ceremony highlighted the bravery of the Kuban Cossacks, long overshadowed by other wartime accounts. Their descendants and officials ensured the soldiers’ sacrifices were formally remembered. The event also strengthened ties between Cossack heritage groups and regional authorities.
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