Penza, 20 December 2015. PenzaNews. The memory of Igor Rodionov, prominent personality in Russian politics, Russian Minister of Defense in 1996-1997, who was born in Kurakino village of the Penza region, was honored in an event that took place at the Afghan Gates memorial complex on Saturday, December 19.

The event involved the activists of the regional youth organization “Modern Age Generation” and the members of the Penza branch of the officially not registered “United Communist Party.”

The crowd marched through the triumphal arc to the ever-burning flame, after which Ivan Finogeev, board chairman of “Modern Age Generation,” made a speech.

“Today is the day when Igor Nikolaevich Rodionov, the man born in Penza, the exceptional professional who followed the officer’s honor up until the last days of his life, had passed away a year ago. However, his legacy so far has not been commemorated in any way, neither in his Little Motherland, Kurakino village in the Serdobsk area, nor in the regional city,” he pointed out.

After the introduction, Ivan Finogeev recited the biography of the politician for the audience.

After the event, the activists agreed to address the Penza region governor Ivan Belozertsev with request to immortalize the legacy of Igor Rodionov.

The march concluded with a flower-laying ceremony at the ever-burning flame, says the VK.com social network group of “Modern Age Generation.”

Igor Rodionov was born on 1 December 1936 in Kurakino village in the Serdobsk area of the Penza region.

He graduated the Orel Frunze Tank College, where he worked as the cadet, assistant squad commander, and college cadet company sergeant, and began his army service in 1954.

In 1986, he was appointed first assistant commander of the Moscow military district, and then moved to be the commander of the Zakavkazye military district, and commandant of Tbilisi. He led the crackdown on 9 April 1989 Tbilisi protest which resulted in 19 casualties.

Between 1989 and 1992, Igor Rodionov worked as the head of the Voroshilov Military Army Force Headquarters Academy, and led the Russian Military Army Force Headquarters Academy from 1992 to 1996.

On 17 July 1996, he was appointed the Russian Minister of Defense, and promoted to general on 5 October 1996.

On 11 December 1996, Igor Rodionov was transferred to the reserve due to age. Later, on 22 May 1997, the Russian President Boris Yeltsin fired him from the ministerial post during the Defense Council session, blaming him for the slow reform of the military.

On 19 December 1999, he was elected to the State Duma of the third convocation as a representative of the CPRF electoral block “For Victory.”

On 7 December 2003, he became the deputy of the State Duma of the fourth convocation from the electoral block for party “Rodina.”

Igor Rodionov passed away on 19 December 2014 due to a long-standing illness, and buried on the Federal military memorial cemetery on December 22.