Aliya Moldagulova Monument unveiled in St. Petersburg

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SAINT PETERSBURG. KAZINFORM - A monument to Hero of the Soviet Union Aliya Moldagulova, a glorious daughter of the Kazakh people, was unveiled in St. Petersburg on the cusp of the 74th Anniversary of the World War II Victory, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Addressing the unveiling ceremony, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation Imangali Tasmagambetov said: "We are not just perpetuating the memory of our brave countrywoman, but are paying homage to all the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, including the defenders of Leningrad."

"19-year-old Aliya was one of the best, and not only because she destroyed 78 fascists with her sniping weapon. She deliberately sacrificed her youth and life for the sale of our common homeland," said the ambassador.

The Aliya Moldagulova Monument is located in one of the city's garden squares west of a building on the street of the same name in Krasnogvardeysky District. It is the three-meter sculpture on a pedestal of pink granite. There is the name of the heroine and the hero star. On the back of the pedestal, there is a brief description of her act of bravery.

The monument was created owing to the joint efforts of the government of St. Petersburg, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia, and the administrations of Aktobe and Atyrau regions.



The author of the creative project is famous Kazakh sculptor Yedige Rakhmadiyev. According to him, he used one of the few and best preserved photos of Aliya to create the sculpture. The pedestal is made of good and high-quality granite from Almaty region. The bronze for the sculpture is also from Kazakhstan. All works on the creation of the architectural composition were carried out in the village of Kargaly in Almaty region.

Aliya Moldagulova was born in Kazakhstan, but before World War II she lived and studied in Leningrad. She survived a terrible blockade winter of 1941-1942. In March 1942, she was evacuated to Yaroslavl Oblast. In 1943, having completed training at the Central Women's Sniper School, 18-year-old Aliya became a sniper of the 4th Battalion of the 54th Nondivisional Rifle Brigade (22nd Army, 2nd Baltic Front). In the battlefield engagement, she managed to destroy 78 enemy soldiers and officers. Aliya Moldagulova was killed in January 1944 in a fierce fight near the village of Kazachikha of Pskov Oblast during the Leningrad-Novgorod Operation.



The ceremony was also attended by a large delegation from Kazakhstan, including the relatives of the glorious heroine.
People's Artist of Kazakhstan Roza Rymbaeva said: "The act of heroism of our Aliya will never be forgotten. Because it is thanks to such heroes as her, we live nowadays in peace and harmony. This is the best example for our younger generation. It is a great honor for me to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Aliya Moldagulova Monument in St. Petersburg and pay tribute to her brave feat.".

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