The message reads, in part:
“The peoples of Russia and Belarus went together through the cruellest ordeals of the Great Patriotic War, persevered and won. The Brest Fortress is the most significant memorial to those who were the first to stand up on the way of the Nazi invaders, a visual symbol of their courage, self-sacrifice and unyielding will.
Our countries cherish the deeds of their fathers and grandfathers and will never forget the sacrifices and tribulations that befell them. I am sure that we will continue to resolutely counter any attempts to distort and falsify history, to revise the results of the Great Patriotic War and exonerate Nazi criminals and their accomplices.
The staff of the Brest Hero-Fortress memorial complex accomplish their duty honorably and make a big contribution to the preservation of the historical truth. Your active and much needed work on moral and patriotic education of the younger generation deserves the highest praise.”