Photo credit: mos.ru / fragment (CC BY 4.0)
The memory of Soviet soldiers who died in the battles of the Korean War was honored in China, TASS reports. Flowers and wreaths were laid at military graves located in Dalian. The ceremony was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the end of one of the largest armed conflicts that took place during the Cold War. The Korean War began in 1950 and ended in 1953.
The Russian embassy recalled that South Korea was supported by Washington, London and other representatives of the West. Volunteers from China, as well as Soviet pilots and anti-aircraft gunners, helped North Korea.
At that time, neither China nor North Korea possessed modern aircraft and air defense systems. Moreover, they did not have specialists who could use them. Moscow then handed over new equipment to China. The Soviet military also went there to prepare and plan military operations.
The contribution of Soviet pilots and air defense soldiers to the victory cannot be overestimated, Russian diplomats state. Many of them died. From November 1950 to July 1953, Soviet pilots made about 64,000 sorties. They conducted almost 2,000 air battles. During the fighting, more than 1,200 enemy aircraft were shot down.
During the years of the Korean War, 315 Soviet soldiers died, including more than 100 pilots. 244 of them are buried in the military cemetery in Dalian.
Russkiy Mir
