Lobachevsky University celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory

On 6 May 2025, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Lobachevsky University held a solemn event to mark this date. The celebration gathered veterans, teachers, students and invited guests on the campus at Gagarin Avenue. There were congratulations, expressions of gratitude and wartime songs performed on the stage.

The ceremony was opened by Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University:

“We are on the eve of a great holiday - the 80th anniversary of the Victory over fascism. This is a special date for each of us. Lobachevsky University made a great contribution to this victory. During the war our scientists developed new technologies, our staff and students worked on the home front, in hospitals. More than 700 employees of the university went to the front during the war years, and not all of them returned. Eternal memory to all of them! Today the aggression against our country continues, the university does not stay aside and is actively helping the front. We have collected more than 21 tonnes of goods for the DPR, LPR, Belgorod and Kursk regions. Our Volunteer Centre has a humanitarian aid headquarters, which carries out extensive work and unites us to achieve victory. It is important that we help the front not only with humanitarian supplies, but also psychologically support our military. All this is possible thanks to the fact that we remember the past, pay tribute to the veterans who forged victory in the Great Patriotic War, and today we work for the good of our country,“ said Oleg Trofimov.

A minute of silence was observed at the ceremony to honour the memory of the university students, staff and alumni who died on the battlefields.

Roman Strongin, President of Lobachevsky University, addressed the audience. He emphasised that the memory of the victory in the Great Patriotic War is timeless, as well as the memory of the generation that fought for this victory. On behalf of the Mayor of Nizhny Novgorod Yuri Shalabaev, the guests were congratulated on Victory Day by Svetlana Gulyaeva, Director of the Department of Culture of the City Administration.

During the ceremony, Oleg Trofimov awarded letters of appreciation to university staff members. Representatives of various departments were noted for their contribution to patriotic education, for active work as part of the Nizhny Novgorod regional youth search organisation “Kurgan“, for their contribution to strengthening the defence capability of the Russian Federation, for selfless professional work in the combat zone, for significant contribution to the training of military personnel at UNN.

As part of the celebration, representatives of the Rector's Office laid flowers at the memorial stone honouring the heroes of the Great Patriotic War on the central alley of the campus. The celebration concluded with a performance by the Lobachevsky University Choir under the direction of Larisa Erykalova. The internationally acclaimed choir performed the iconic songs “Do Russians Want a War“, “Cranes“ and “Victory Day“.