February 15, Day of Memory of Soldiers-Internationalists

On February 15, 1989, the last Soviet soldier crossed the Friendship Bridge, which connected the USSR and Afghanistan. About 30 thousand Belarusians fought there, almost 800, according to official data, never returned home to their relatives. Alexander Lukashenko sent an appeal to soldiers-

Laying of flowers and requiem meetings are held across Belarus. Flowers and wreaths lay at the "Island of Courage and Sorrow" memorial. Veterans, mothers and wives of the dead, representatives of authorities and public associations and partial Belarusians came to honor the memory of soldiers. The names of the Afghan war heroes who gave their lives are carved on the wall of the chapel.

About 20 thousand soldiers-internationalists, who took part in the military actions in Afghanistan, live in Belarus.