The President noted the common historical past of Belarus and the Murmansk Oblast

The memory of the Great Victory must be honored and under no circumstances forget it, as some countries attempt to do. This was stated by the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko at a meeting with the Governor of Russia's Murmansk Oblast, Andrei Chibis. The President noted the shared historical past of Belarus and the Murmansk Oblast, including their role during the Great Patriotic War. It was mentioned that the classic Belarusian writer Ivan Shamyakin fought in the northern Russian region during those years. The Head of State also noted the significant role of Murmansk, which became the gateway to defending the common Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War. It was through Murmansk that essential equipment and military hardware were delivered. The President also noted the commonality and closeness between Belarus and the Russian region in the recent past, during the Soviet era.