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The general meeting took place at the "House of Officers" Cultural Development Center.
The All-Russian public-state organization "Russian Military Historical Society" was established in 2012 by Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is considered the successor of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society that existed from 1907 to 1914.
Nikolay Ovsienko, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society and Deputy Head of the Department of the Russian Presidential Administration for State Policy in the Humanitarian Sphere, addressed the Penza residents with a welcoming speech.
"Allow me to greet this distinguished assembly on behalf of the Chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky. The hall contains a huge number of our friends and associates – those who love and know the history of the Fatherland, who are proud of the country. This is the guarantee of our successes and victories," emphasized Nikolay Ovsienko.
He noted that Penza Oblast has always been one of the best and most advanced in military-patriotic education and historical enlightenment.
One of the main items on the general meeting's agenda was the election of the chairman of the Oblastal branch of the Russian Military Historical Society in Penza Oblast.
"I would like to inform you of an extract from the minutes of the meeting of the Presidium of the Central Council of the All-Russian public-state organization 'Russian Military Historical Society'," Nikolay Ovsienko emphasized. "This protocol contains a decision – to approve the candidacy of Oleg Vladimirovich Melnichenko, recommended by the chairman, for his election to the post of chairman of the Oblast branch."
The vote was open, and the governor's candidacy was supported unanimously.
Oleg Melnichenko thanked for the high trust placed in him and outlined the immediate prospects for the work of the Oblastal branch of the Russian Military Historical Society in Penza Oblast.
This year, under the auspices of the Russian Military Historical Society, it is planned to hold the 8th All-Russian Scientific Conference "The Creative Laboratory of Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky in Modern Russia. Historian. Time. Heritage," the anniversary 25th Historical and Cultural Festival "Zolotarevskoye Settlement – Crossroads of Civilizations," and the 3rd Military History Festival "Toruyevskoye Settlement."
Oleg Melnichenko, Chairman of the Oblastal branch of the Russian Military Historical Society in Penza Oblast, named the preservation of the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War as one of the main areas of work.
He recalled the documentary-fiction film "Ordered to Live," shot in 2023 by the efforts of Penza and Belarusian filmmakers with the support of the Russian Military Historical Society, about the partisan detachment of Aleksey Chertkov, who saved residents of Belarusian villages from reprisals by German punishers.
"The film was shot in Penza and Belarus. It featured cadets of our Penza Artillery Engineering Institute, participants of reconstruction clubs from Penza and Belarus," Oleg Melnichenko informed. "Last year, during the Penza Oblast Days in the Republic of Belarus, we presented this film to President Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko. The film has a distribution certificate in both of our countries and more than 30 awards from all-Russian and international festivals. A large amount of material was collected during the filming, and we decided to shoot a sequel."
The head of the Oblast also announced the continuation of the regional project "Countrymen," dedicated to outstanding figures of Penza Oblast. Immediate plans include the creation of a memorial to the heads of Penza Oblast from 1939 to 1962, as well as the opening of a museum dedicated to a native of Penza Oblast, the legendary commander of the "Alpha" unit, Hero of Russia Valery Kanakin, in a Penza school currently under construction.
"He was posthumously awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Penza Oblast," Oleg Melnichenko stated. "In his honor, we organized a memorial hockey tournament, which will be held on a regular basis. The new school will soon be named after Valery Vladimirovich, and a bust of the Hero will be installed there."
The governor called the wide involvement of youth, schoolchildren, and students in the work of the Russian Military Historical Society the main task.
"How we raise our children will determine our future," he concluded.