The city of Smolensk nuclear scientists, Desnogorsk, has gained a new sightseeing - a memorial sign “Bread of Our Memory” dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812.



The ceremonial opening of the memorial sign and placing in it a special capsule with sacred ground taken from the field of Borodino took place on August 11, 2012. Head of Administration of Desnogorsk, Mikhail Khobotov, and Smolensk NPP Director – Chairman of the Council of Heads of Desnogorsk enterprises, Andrey Petrov, placed the capsule in the foundation of the monument in the presence of many citizens and representatives of the fund “Primireniye” (Reconciliation).
The memorial sign was established in the heart of the city on the square in front of the Church of the Theotokos icon "Joy of All Who Sorrow". It is a solid-cast cube made of white granite weighing 4.5 t, where bronze made bread with cut pieces lies on it.

 “A memory of the past is not simply a property of human consciousness, its an ability to retain traces of the past. It is a link between past and future. Establishing in our young city a monument dedicated to the Patriotic War of 1812, we hereby pay tribute to our ancestors, which 200 years ago defended the native land and sent Napoleonic hordes from the Russian land to the right-about. The memory of their feats unites us and makes us all a single nation,” noted Andrey Petrov speaking on the ceremony of opening of the monument.

According to Mikhail Khobotov, the monument establishing is an important contribution to the patriotic education of the young generation. “Bread is a symbol of the infinite love, devotion and loyalty. And today we commence a new tradition of our city: since now newly married couples would arrive here to the monument in their wedding day and touch the bread as a sign of prosperity and happiness for the future,” said Head of Administration of Desnogorsk.

The newly married couples of Desnogorsk who registered their marriage that day first touched the bronze bread as a sign of love and loyalty, and laid flowers at its foundation.

The organizers presented to every participant of the presentation a miniature of “Borodino” brick-bread baked specially for the opening ceremony of the monument to 1812 heroes.

Smolensk NPP is a branch of Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC. Annually SNPP provides the country power system at an average of about 20 billion kWh of electrical power, which makes about 13% of energy produced by Rosenergoatom Concern and more than 80% produced by the power enterprises of the Smolensk Region.

Public Information Centre of Smolensk NPP has a round clock telephone-answering system where you can get information on the nuclear power plant. Telephone: +7(48153) 3-21-24.

On line detailed data on the radiation environment near nuclear power plants in Russia and other nuclear facilities are provided on website www.russianatom.ru