Penza, 23 February 2016. PenzaNews. Over 80 members and supporters of the CPRF took part in the public rally dedicated to the Soviet Army and Fleet Day on Tuesday, February 23, held by the Rostok monument on the Sura river embankment in Penza.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

In a twist, the public rally did not feature the traditional red banners. Instead, the organizers set up a cube-shaped information stand, with each of its outfacing sides describing a certain activity of the Communist Party.

Before the public rally, the activists distributed leaflets and fresh issues of “Pravda” newspaper in the crowd.

In a welcoming word, Dmitry Filyaev, first secretary of the CPRF Penza city committee, addressed the current internal policy situation.

“The situation is tough, we all perfectly see it, we all observe it. At the same time, there are no better patriots than the Communists: we are the only people who truly want good for their Fatherland and wish to bring good not to their own friends, not to their valets, but to all people,” he stressed.

Next, Major (Retd.) Victor Pervun, CPRF activists, recalled the might of the Soviet Army for the crowd.

“This army left its lookout spot in the history undefeated. This army destroyed the internal counter-revolution monument and the intervention of the 14 largest Western states. This army was victorious in the war conflicts in late 1920s-1930s. This army destroyed the Nazi Germany forces, with practically no help from the Western allies. […] This army, for more than 40 years, successfully prevented any new conflicts and the new war from occurring. This army became the foundation for the modern Russian army,” he said.

According to Victor Pervun, the Russian Armed Forces managed to inherit all the best features of the Soviet Army, while not gaining the typical elements of Western armies.

In turn, Sergei Padalkin, head of the press service in the CPRF Penza region committee, pointed out that the modern army is still made of workers and farmers.

“When I served in the army, I did not see even a single son of an official or some kind of deputy, minister or so on. In a nutshell, today it is made of regular guys from villages, towns and cities. So we should not shun call it a Workers’ and Peasants’ Army,” he said, adding that the Russian Armed Forces “still retain the Soviet fervor.”

At the same time, Georgy Kamnev, first secretary of the Regional Committee of the Communist Party, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Penza region, in his speech highlighted the new threats that Russia is facing.

“Nowadays, our country is disappearing from the map, becoming extinct – there are less and less people, more and more resources get moved across the border. We are disappearing. Disappearing at a speed we never saw during the wars. And who leads this war against our country, you ask? The oligarchs, the liberals, who are doing everything to continue this war – hidden from plain sight, but no less terrible,” noted the head of Penza Communists.

“Who would be the new Red Army today? Who will stand on the idea frontline and protect the Russian people?” asked the deputy, adding that only the CPRF can do that.

“Comrades, I call upon you to unite – tell your relatives, people you know – unite over the Communist Party,” he concluded.

Following that, Dmitry Filyaev read out loud the resolution of the public rally.

“The stance of the CPRF is clear. Development of the country, finding the way out of the crisis – what had been said by the leader of our party Gennady Zyuganov during the recent economic forum in Orel. The country needs a Leftist government of public trust, only this government would be able to follow on the CPRF anti-crisis program, support the strengthening of the army and the fleet, the resurrection of the economy and the development of Russian social field. A turn for the Left is the only way out. Let us strengthen the army and the fleet, let us protect Russia!” he read out the text of the resolution, which was supported unanimously.

After the public rally, the human rights activist Yuri Voblikov approached the Rostok monument, holding the banner: “Let Us Protect The Memory of Fatherland’s Defenders. 35-Letiya Pobedy Public Garden – Our Stalingrad.”

He spoke with the CPRF supporters and proposed them to do something with the fact that the “Tri Gvozdiki” public garden on Karpinskovo street, set up to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Great Victory, is now being cut down.