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Russia prepares for celebrations of victory in the 1812 Patriotic war

More than 2.7 billion roubles earmarked for this purpose in the regional and federal budgets have been used in 2009-2012
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, August 7 (Itar-Tass) — Comprehensive preparations for the celebrations of a bicentenary since the 1812 Patriotic War are in a final stage now after two years of strenuous work, Chief of the presidential administration Sergei Ivanov said on Tuesday. All in all more than 2.7 billion roubles earmarked for this purpose in the regional and federal budgets have been used in 2009-2012, Ivanov said at conference of a state commission in charge of the preparations for the celebrations of the remarkable date. An absolute majority of the assigned tasks have been either fulfilled or the work on them nears completion, Ivanov said

He dwelt on a heavy load of repairs and restoration work on the territory of the settlement of Borodino, which was a site of a fierce battle between Russian and Napoleon's troops in 1812, and on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin, which is known to have been a battle scene in the 1812 war as well.

Historical museums, cathedrals, a splendid palace, an architectural ensemble, military engineering and other facilities dating back to the epoch of 200 years ago have been restored, Ivanov said. In the framework of the preparations for the celebrations of the remarkable anniversary scientists, historians and archive workers have carried out different scientific research work and conducted conferences, he said.

More information has been collected about the exploits of the Russian people as well as concrete heroes who participated in battles against the army of Napoleon; museum expositions have been opened, documents dating back to that epoch and publications of the Russian and foreign mass media have been prepared for the guests of the celebrations to see, Ivanov said.

Besides, workers of art and culture have prepared books, documentary films and staged plays devoted to the 1812 Patriotic War. The St.Petersburg Mint factory has made a set of commemorative medals devoted to the 1812 war. The medals were either designed in full conformity with the genuine commemorative medals or are an exact replica of such medals first released in the Russian empire in 1836, Ivanov said.