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The opening ceremony of the 11th Youth Army Military-Patriotic Training Camp “Gvardeets” was held at Lenin Square in Penza.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Plenipotentiary Representatives of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District, Oleg Mashkovtsev and Aleksandr Tikhonov; Governor of Penza Oblast Oleg Melnichenko; Heroes of Russia Rasim Baksikov, Aleksandr Beloglazov, Oleg Lobunets, and Nikita Palyaznik; Deputy Commander of the Russian Military Transport Aviation Dmitry Sukhoruchkin; as well as representatives of law enforcement, legislative, and executive authorities of Penza Oblast.
“Today, amid the Special Military Operation, when fathers and brothers are on the frontlines, it is especially important to instill patriotism, respect for the history of our Fatherland, and admiration for the valorous deeds of our ancestors in the younger generation, preparing youth for the defense of the Motherland,” Aleksandr Tikhonov remarked.
In 2025, Gvardeets brought together a record 18 teams, comprising 360 participants. Representatives from 14 regions of the Volga Federal District, as well as the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and Zaporozhskaya Oblast, attended the camp.
For the first time, a team from the Brest Region of the Republic of Belarus is participating. Governor Oleg Melnichenko expressed gratitude to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and the Chairman of the Brest Regional Executive Committee, Pyotr Parkhomchik, for facilitating this participation.
“The idea to invite Belarusian youth was born at last year’s Gvardeets. We thought it would be wonderful for Youth Army members from Penza Oblast to meet peers who are also passionate about sports and committed to the defense of their Fatherland,” the governor said.
Over the course of 21 days, the participants will engage in drill, general physical training, marksmanship, and parachute training, as well as learn to operate unmanned aerial vehicles and handle weapons. For the first time, kettlebell sport has been included in the program. During the camp, the youth will visit historical and notable sites in Penza Oblast and meet veterans of combat operations and Heroes of the Special Military Operation.
“Your session is special. It takes place in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of our people’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Your great-grandfathers fought shoulder to shoulder for their Motherland. They would be proud to know that a worthy generation has grown up after them. As our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, has said, nothing is more sacred and important than defending the Motherland,” Oleg Melnichenko emphasized.
The opening of Gvardeets coincided with the wind orchestra festival “We Are from Penza”, organized in Penza under the auspices of the Wind Music Association, headed by Aleksandr Bryzgalov, a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art.
The ceremonial portion of the camp featured performances by eight wind orchestras.