KURSK REGION MARKS FASCIST LIBERATION ANNIVERSARY

KURSK, February 11 (RIA Novosti's Karina Smirnova) - The Kursk region in northern Russia is celebrating the 62nd anniversary of its liberation from the Nazis, the administration of the Kursk Region reported. The celebration's main events will be held on Friday. Flowers will be laid on soldiers' graves in the village of Pristen. Memorial jubilee medals, The 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, will be awarded to those who took part in the battles or worked in the rear.

The Pristen district of the Kursk Region was occupied for 15 months, from November 25, 1941 to February 12, 1943. On December 30, the 169th infantry division, commanded by Colonel Rogachevsky, began fighting for the liberation of the district. Fierce, bloody battles lasted for ten days. In the first days of January 1942, the division liberated 19 inhabited areas.

At the beginning of July 1942, the Pristen district was occupied again until February 1943, giving rise to more gory warring. On February 12, the 52nd infantry division liberated the district.

The damage done by the fascists to the area was tremendous. They burned down 1,159 houses and captured 1,395 local people for slave labor in Germany. In all, only 20 later returned home. More than 4,300 people gave their lives for the liberation of the Pristen land.