“It is very nice that we are remembered”: Nizhnekamskneftekhim congratulates war veterans on 75th Victory Day

“There was a terrible shooting. I ran out into the street, everyone was screaming: 'The end of the war!”

The first to meet the guests was 95-year-old Vladimir Kuzmich Karkotsky. The front-line soldier was born on the outskirts of Poland, on the territory that in the summer of 1939 became part of Belarus. When the war started, he was 16 years old. According to the veteran, the Germans appeared in their native village on the second day. “On Sunday, June 22, a man came from the village council on a bicycle and shouted a terrible thing: 'The war has begun!'

Two days later, Germans entered the village on motorcycles, then the infantry and baggage trains came. There were 16,000 Jews in Vileyka, all of them were killed. They drove them to a barn on the edge of the town, lined them with straw, and set them on fire. To intimidate people, people from neighbouring villages were driven to watch them being burned alive," the veteran says without fighting back tears. The terrible events are forever etched in his memory.

Vladimir Kuzmich went to the front in August 1944 and joined the 315th howitzer regiment. He was a signalman, helping to maintain communication between the intelligence and the batteries. I met the victory in Latvia. The spring of 1945 remained forever in the memory of the front-line soldier.

“I remember us going to bed. There was a terrible shooting in the night. I ran out into the street and everyone was shouting: 'The end of the war!” says the veteran.

In the summer of 1945, Sergeant Karkotsky was sent to Leningrad Oblast to restore the city of Luga. In 1950, he was demobilized and moved to Almetyevsk. Later, he got a job at Nizhnekamskneftekhim, which was being under construction. He started as a master, and for the last 10 years I was the head of the building and construction department (SMU).

In the eve of May 9, the management of Nizhnekamskneftekhim visited Vladimir Karkotsky at home. In order not to expose the war veteran to the risk of contracting the coronavirus infection, everyone was wearing medical masks and protective gloves.

Director General of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC Ayrat Safin thanked Vladimir Kuzmich for his contribution to the victory, presented a TV, warm blanket, grocery set and the bouquet of flowers.

“Dear Vladimir Kuzmich, please accept our sincere words of gratitude from Nizhnekamskneftekhim. Thank you very much for your courage and heroism! This is the least we can do for you," Ayrat Safin said to the veteran.

The jubilee medal '75 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945', and also greeting cards on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, President of Tatarstan and head of the Nizhnekamsk Municipal District, gifts to Vladimir Kuzmich were presented by Deputy Mayor of Nizhnekamsk Elvira Dolotkazina.

“So many gifts! Thank you, I'm very pleased”

Veteran of the Great Patriotic War Anas Shafigullovich Khayrullin also received congratulations for May 9 on this day. The veteran met the guests in good spirits. He said that the war began when he was only 14 years old. His father was immediately taken to the front, and two months later the news came that his unit was bombed near Moscow and he was missing. After 3 years, Anis Khayrullin went to protect the motherland. He served in the border troops and was awarded the medal 'For the Victory Over Germany'.

In 1964, he got a job at Nizhnekamskneftekhim. After 29 years, he retired. He was engaged in studying project documentation, controlling automation tools and equipment completing.

“All my conscious life is connected with Nizhnekamskneftekhim enterprise. Therefore, every holiday, every meeting with colleagues is especially valuable to me," the war veteran said. In response, the management of Nizhnekamskneftekhim thanked the veteran for his contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany, presented valuable gifts and a bouquet of flowers.

“Anas Shafigullovich, we warmly congratulate you on the great holiday of May 9. We are very pleased to have you with us. You always take part in the events of Nizhnekamskneftekhim, give advice, and we are happy to follow them. We wish you good health!” Rodion Bulashov, the deputy director general for personnel and social affairs of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC, said solemnly.

“Thank you for your congratulations! So many gifts I've received. I am very pleased!” touched Anas Shafigulovich shared his impressions.

“It's nice that they remember us”

On the eve of May 9, the management of Nizhnekamskneftekhim visited Fauzi Bikmukhametovich Taziev at home. During the war, he served in the Far East, and was awarded the medal 'For the Victory over Japan'.

In 1965, the war veteran got a job at Nizhnekamskneftekhim. He worked as a locksmith at the Divinyl & Hydrocarbon Feed Plant.

“How do you do, dear Fauzi Bikmukhametovich?" Ayrat Safin asked, sitting down next to the veteran.

“Great, thank you," the veteran replied. “I am very pleased that everyone remembers us, provides assistance, shows care and attention. I wish you all a peaceful sky and prosperity.”

On this day, the participant of the Great Patriotic War also received valuable gifts and a large bouquet of flowers from the management of Nizhnekamskneftekhim.

With care and attention to every frontline soldier and home front worker

In addition to the participants of military operations, all home front workers registered with the Veterans Council of Nizhnekamskneftekhim received gifts, flowers and congratulations.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the war veterans for everything they have done for us. The programme of Victory Day celebrations at Nizhnekamskneftekhim began at the beginning of the year, all veterans and home front workers are surrounded by our care and attention. We want to wish them good luck and take care of themselves!” said Rodion Bulashov, the deputy director general for personnel and social issues of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC.

“Taking care of our dear veterans and their well-being will always be a priority in the work of the trade union organization. Victory Day is a great national holiday, and this year it is special — we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of this great day. Trade union activists visit home front workers these days. During these 2 days, we will visit literally everyone, conveyed the words of gratitude and low bow, give gifts and food packages. I wish all our veterans and home front workers good health, caring for their loved ones and active longevity," said the chairman of the company's trade union organization, Fanis Murtazin.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim has taken care of war veterans and home front workers for many years. The company transfers additional payments to pensions, allocates funds for holidays and round dates, and issues a free subscription to corporate newspapers.

“It is a great honour for me to personally congratulate dear war veterans and home front workers on the 75th anniversary of the Victory. Unfortunately, every year there are fewer of them, so we need to treat each of them with respect. Our veterans, in addition to annual compensation for housing and utilities services, we also paid for repairs in the apartment and transferred monetary compensation by May 9, gave televisions and other valuable gifts. This is a worthy contribution, but in any case, our support is not measured in money. We always take care of veterans and respond to their requests," said Ayrat Safin, the director general of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC in the interview with Realnoe Vremya.

Ayrat Safin said that his family often talked about the difficult wartime.

“My grandmother is 98 years old, she is a home front worker, she used to tell us about the hardships of war. Most of all, I remember her saying that everything can be survived — both hunger and cold, but the hardest thing is to go through a war. We are very happy that we live in peaceful times," said Ayrat Safin.