A MEETING BETWEEN MILITARY DEPARTMENT STUDENTS AND AFGHAN WAR VETERANS WAS HELD AT AMANZHOLOV UNIVERSITY

At Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, a meeting with veterans of the Afghan War and internationalist soldiers was held to mark the 37th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The event brought together students, faculty members, and representatives of the public.

The meeting was moderated by Vice-Rector for Educational and Social Affairs, Zhanneta Kalimoldina. In her address, she emphasized that the heroism of internationalist soldiers remains a powerful example of courage, patriotism, and loyalty to military duty for the younger generation.

Honored guests included Afghan War veterans Kairat Mareuov, Andrey Kozhukhovsky, and Akylbek Samkenov, as well as Aitkazy Sherubayev, Chairman of the East Kazakhstan Regional Branch of the Republican Public Association “Ardagerler Uiyimy,” and Raushan Aidarbaeva, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor, Head of the Department of History of Kazakhstan and Social and Humanitarian Disciplines.

During the meeting, it was noted that more than 22,000 Kazakhstanis took part in the Afghan War; 761 of them lost their lives, 21 went missing, and around 3,000 returned with severe injuries. The memory of the fallen was honored with a minute of silence.

The veterans shared their memories of military service, spoke about comradeship in combat, and addressed the students with words of advice, encouraging them to preserve peace, value the country’s independence, and be достойными citizens of their homeland. The creative segment of the program featured musical and poetic performances by students.

The university emphasized that special attention is given to military-patriotic education. Since 2019, the Military Department named after Kabanbay Batyr has been operating at the university, providing training for future officers and fostering continuity between generations.