Belarus celebrates Independence Day

Belarus celebrates Independence Day today, the main holiday of the Belarusian statehood, BelTA informs.

The decision to celebrate Independence Day on July 3 was adopted at a national referendum in 1996. In the same year, a decree of President Alexander Lukashenko established a public holiday, the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus (the Republic Day). It is celebrated on the day of liberation of Minsk from Nazi invaders - July 3, 1944. This holiday has become a symbol of the national revival of our state.

During the Great Patriotic War, Belarus was the first to be hit by the Nazis, and on the second day of the war Minsk was subjected to merciless bombing and artillery fire. On the outskirts of the city Hitler troops met with stubborn resistance. But on June 28, the Nazis captured Minsk. From the first days of the occupation, the inhabitants of the city rose to fight the enemy. For 1100 days of occupation - 1100 days of selfless, heroic struggle against the Nazi invaders - Minsk was occupied, but not conquered.

As a result of the brilliant Belarusian operation with the cooperation of the 1st and 3rd Belorussian Fronts and with the support of the partisans on July 3, 1944 the Belarusian capital was liberated from the Nazi invaders. This day became a holiday of liberation of the whole country.

Every third citizen of Belarus died in the Great Patriotic War.