The year of memory and glory: TAIF-NK does major repair work in veteran’s flat it is in charge of

“Thanks for not forgetting us”

A veteran of the Great Patriotic War Panfil Pavlov welcomed the administration of TAIF-NK in a festive mood. According to the front line veteran, the company’s workers are welcome guests in his home. They have been helping the Pavlovs for many years. On the threshold of the Victory Day, representatives of the oil refinery went round to them with gifts. They decided not to come in not to subject his family to risk. During the difficult epidemiological period, all safety measures were taken.

Vice Director General of Economic Security and Regime at TAIF-NK JSC Ilfar Khalimulin presented Mr Panfil Pavlov a bunch of flowers and two packages with food on behalf of the whole company.

“Dear Mr Pavlov, let me congratulate you on this amazing holiday — 75^th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War — on behalf of the administration and staff of TAIF-NK. Decades pass, generations change, but the memory of the great Victory, feats and heroic actions of our people will remain in our hearts forever. The repair work in your flat is the least we can do for you. Thank you for our peace, for the sun, for the clear sky. God bless you, we wish you many years of life. Might close people be always next to you,” Vice Director General of Economic Security and Regime at TAIF-NK JSC Ilfar Khalimulin addressed the Pavlovs.

Vice Mayor of Nizhnekamsk Elvira Dolotkazina thanked the veteran of war for heroism demonstrated during the Great Patriotic War.

“Dear Mr Pavlov, let us congratulate you on the upcoming holiday — Victory Day. We are so thankful to you for having the peaceful sky above our heads, for having a chance of living in such a beautiful city. You didn’t spare your life, defended our Homeland,” Elvira Dolotkazina congratulated the veteran of war.

Head of the Social Protection Administration of Nizhnekamsk Municipal District Svetlana Romanova joined the congratulations and added that only 32 participants in military actions and over 1,000 home front workers left in Nizhnekamsk District who should be saved and constantly paid attention.

“Mr Pavlov, receive the most sincere and warm wishes from me. I am bowing to you low for everything you did for us. We are very glad that thanks to financial support of the backbone enterprise TAIF-NK, such amazing repair work was done on your flat. During these tough times for the Russian economy when people lose their jobs because of the pandemic and enterprises are operating in very complicated conditions, some companies put the memory of the people’s feat above all,” said Svetlana Romanova, the head of the Social Protection Administration of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Republic of Tatarstan in Nizhnekamsk Municipal District

History of country and memory of its heroes

Every time TAIF-NK workers go around to Mr Pavlov, the front line veteran shares his memories of the tough wartime, combat fellows who remained to lie on battlefields.

According to historical records, the Great Patriotic War claimed over 50 million human lives. From 8 to 13 million people fought, from 6 to 20,000 tanks and assault guns, from 83 to 165,000 weapons and mortar shells, from 7 to 19,000 planes were used on the front from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea, on both sides.

A blitzkrieg plan in 1941 already failed when the German command planned to seize the Soviet Union in several months. The firm defence of Leningrad, Zapolyarie, Kyiv, Odessa, Sevastopol, Smolensk Battle helped to foil Hitler’s plan.

The victory in the Great Patriotic War was won thanks to unexampled heroism of all peoples of the Soviet Union. Residents of Tatarstan made their contribution to the Victory too. 700,000 Tatarstan people served on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. 350,000 of them — one in two who went to war — or 11,5% of the pre-war population of the republic died.

Units and formations created in the republic covered a heroic path during the wartime. Tatarstan workers made a notable contribution to the Victory over Fascism. Industrial enterprises supplied weapons, ammunition and uniform to the front. Over 70 evacuated enterprises that were restored and began to produce goods for the front and home front again were located in the republic.

The Nizhnekamsk land is a homeland of five Heroes of the Soviet Union and five Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory. About 8,000 Nizhnekamsk citizens with weapons in their arms stood up to protect the Homeland, almost half of them didn’t return — they remain on battlefields, the rest went missing.

“The Victory Day cannot be forgotten, we waited for it for so long! The feelings we had are beyond words. Everybody was crying and shouting: “Victory!” Mr Pavlov remembers the events 75 years ago.

A lot of orders and medals shine on Panfil Pavlov’s military tunic. The front line veteran considers Gratitude for Excellent Military Actions from Supreme Commander Joseph Stalin the most valuable. He got back home only in 1950 as a staff sergeant. First, he worked in his native village as head of the rural reading room. Here he met his wife-to-be Maria. Later he began working as a driver and didn’t leave his favourite job even after retirement.

“Of course, I knew it would be very beautiful, but not that so beautiful”

Once TAIF-NK began to take care of several veterans of the Great Patriotic War and annually helped them as much as it could. Many of who was just recently a living personification of the Great Victory aren’t alive. Only 94-year-old Panfil Pavlov is the only veteran in good health among the veterans the enterprise is in charge of. And in this jubilee year — the Year of Memory and Glory in Russia — the management of the company decided to do repair work in the front line veteran’s flat.

The repair in Panfil Pavlov’s flat began in the middle of April. Workers actively got to work: they removed old wallpaper, straightened the walls. Stretch ceiling was installed, the flooring was renewed, new light wallpaper was put up. The major repair work was done in the toilet and shower with modern ceramic tiles and new plumbing.

After Panfil Pavlov saw his renewed flat, he didn’t believe his eyes, he didn’t even dream about such a gift by the Victory Day.

“It became so bright, clean and cosy. It turns out to be very beautiful! I like everything. The shower is unrecognisable, the balcony has been planked… I just have no words. Many thanks for the job. Of course, I knew it would be very beautiful, but not that so beautiful!” Panfil Pavlov didn’t contain his emotion after looking his home over.

Heroes who defended country and whole world

In one of his speeches, President of Russia Vladimir Putin claimed that the festive Victory Parade and the all-Russian campaign The Immortal Regiment dedicated to the 75^th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War were postponed indefinitely because of the risk of spread of the coronavirus infection. Despite this, no veteran should remain unnoticed.

“Hitler’s gamble became a terrible lesson for the whole world community. Almost 80% of the Earth was involved in it. Many European countries were enslaved, occupied. The Victory Day is a holiday that was, is and will be holy, the most important one for every Russian family. We honour, pay tribute to the memory of heroes who defended the country and the whole world, sacrificed their lives to save others’ lives. The winners, veterans set a very high moral bar for us, handed over their beliefs and faith to us. We are obliged to carefully save these values, educate future generations with them,” the head of the country noted.

Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, in turn, repeatedly said that 9 May was a day of the triumph of the multi-ethnic people of our big country, a symbol of its indomitable spirit, unity and togetherness.

“Precisely our country destroyed Nazism, liberated Europe from slavery, won the war at the cost of millions of victims and terrible trials. Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought the enemy defending their homeland. We give a low bow to the memory of all who didn’t return from the war and aren’t with us anymore. Not hiding pride and tears, we thank you, dear veterans and home front workers. Our holy obligation is to save and pass descendants the unfading truth about the events of the Great Patriotic War. We won’t let the heroes be forgotten,” the head of the republic said in one of his speeches.

TAIF-NK makes weighty contribution to burial of 19 Red Army soldiers’ remains

Patriotic education of the youth, social support for employees, targeted help to veterans of the Great Patriotic War aren’t just words for TAIF-NK, it is a principle of work.

For instance, TAIF-NK has been lastingly helping the Tatarstan Cadet Corp by allocating a lot of money to implement Cadetry federal programme. Competitive students graduate from the educational establishment. The students enter universities, including military universities.

Thanks to TAIF-NK’s financial aid, a history museum opened in School No. 12 in Nizhnekamsk on the Memory Day of Victims of Political Repressions. The exposition is dedicated to the events of those times. The company helped buy modern shelves to store exhibits and necessary furniture. The museum is open for all schoolchildren of the city.

On 31 January this year, within the preparation for the 75^th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the company made a weighty contribution to the organisation of the burial ceremony of remains of 19 soldiers of the 80^th Separate Ski Battalion from Tatarstan. The remains of the residents of our republic were found and identified by Search party from Nizhnekamsk not far from Lipenka village in Pskov Oblast.

The soldiers were buried with all military honours in the urban cemetery in the valley of honourable citizens. Mayor of Nizhnekamsk Aydar Metshin whose grandfather was also on the list of the dead soldiers expressed words of gratitude to everyone who helped organise the burial.

“Our heroes, our defenders of the Fatherland, our fathers and grandfathers are back to their homeland 78 years later. They will always be in our memories and glorified. There weren’t military actions on the territory of Nizhnekamsk during the wartime, but residents of Nizhnekamsk also approached the victory, fought on the fronts, worked on the home front. Every family had a hero in the Great Patriotic War. And now it is a special day and special feelings for us. Immeasurable thanks to the searchers for their noble mission. We are in debt to the dead warriors and now living veterans. I am giving a low bow to them,” Aydar Metshin said.

Every year the management of TAIF-NK oil refinery participates in memorable events dedicated to the Victory Day. The workers traditionally chaired by Director General of TAIF-NK JSC Rushan Shamgunov lay flowers next to Victory monument. The workers of the oil refinery actively support the all-people’s campaign The Immortal Regiment. This year it will be held online.

“Victory Day is one of the stages in the history of not only our country but the whole world. It is a holiday we are obliged to remember and appreciate. The Victory Day was and remains a symbol of the national spiritual greatness, a sample of big patriotism, honour and courage. Our obligation is to save the memory of the terrible war and pass this memory from generation to generation,” says Director General of TAIF-NK JSC Rushan Shamgunov.

TAIF-NK always pays special attention to social issues, has various charity activities, participates in different projects of the republic and Nizhnekamsk District aimed to support and develop agriculture, education, health care, sport, culture and art, public order protection and targeted help to the needy, including veterans of war and home front workers.

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