A presentation of Leonid Sumarokov’s book «Together they call us – Leningrad!» took place at KRSU

On September 8, 2025, on the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Siege of Leningrad, a presentation of a historical and documentary essay by the director of the Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage KRSU Leonid Sumarokov «Together they call us – Leningrad!» took place in the main building of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.

The book is based on archival materials and reveals the history of cooperation between Leningrad and the Kyrgyz SSR. It presents episodes of interaction between Leningraders and Kyrgyzstanis, which made it possible to successfully solve the problems of socio-economic and cultural development in peacetime, as well as make a significant contribution to the victory over the enemy during the Great Patriotic War. Particular attention is paid to friendship and mutual assistance that manifested itself during the siege of Leningrad. The new historical evidence collected by the author demonstrates the resilience and courage of the Soviet people and becomes an important contribution to preserving historical memory and countering the falsification of the history of the Second World War.

The presentation took place in a hybrid format, connecting Bishkek, Moscow, St. Petersburg and the city of Malaya Vishera. Among the participants are – representatives of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kyrgyz Republic, Rossotrudnichestvo, deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, historians, representatives of cultural and public organizations, search associations, clergy, as well as students of the historical student club KRSU «Berkut».

Rector of KRSU Sergei Volkov addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. He recalled the tragic events of September 8, 1941, when the siege of Leningrad began, which lasted 872 days and claimed the lives of more than a million people. The rector emphasized that the feat of the defenders of Leningrad will forever remain in the memory of the peoples, and Leonid Sumarokov’s book symbolizes the friendship and unity of Kyrgyzstanis and Leningraders:

«The title of the book is not accidental. Leningrad – is not only a city, it is a symbol of perseverance, courage and brotherhood of all the peoples of the Soviet Union, including Kyrgyzstanis. The book tells how during the war two peoples became one family, fighting and working for Victory. We are grateful to Leonid Ivanovich for his enormous work, for the fact that this story has been collected, preserved and passed on to our students. History –is what moves any state forward, and our university is proud to contribute to its study and preservation».

Director of the Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage KRSU Leonid Sumarokov spoke about the work on the book, noting that it was a continuation of a series of studies on the connections of Kyrgyzstan with Leningrad and other regions of Russia. The author emphasized that the book is dedicated not only to historical facts, but also to human destinies, friendship and mutual assistance:

«This book – is about how two peoples, Kyrgyz and Russian, went through the difficulties of war together, how mutual understanding and cooperation arose, which continues today. It is based on real evidence, letters, archival materials, new documents that have not been published before. This work is addressed, first of all, to young people –so that they know their history and understand at what cost the Victory came».

The presentation was especially valuable due to the participation of book reviewers – Doctor of Historical Sciences Valery Dzyuban and Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences Stanislav Stepanov. They noted that Sumarokov’s work is an important contribution to the development of Russian historiography and helps fill the space of historical memory with new evidence of the feat of the Soviet people.

The event ended with a conversation between the participants, during which the guests discussed the contents of the book and shared their impressions of what they read.

Presentation of a historical and documentary essay «Together they call us – Leningrad!» it became an important event in the life of the university. She recalled the perseverance and heroism of Leningraders, the friendship of peoples during the years of difficult trials and called on the younger generation to preserve the memory of the feat of their ancestors.