The expedition Youth of the Baikal Region to the heroes of Khalkhin Gol has reached the final stage. 25 participants were selected from five winning teams. The expedition honors the memory of one of the bloodiest battles, which played an important role in World War II.
The preparation for the expedition to Mongolia has entered its decisive stage. Twenty-five project participants have been selected to join the expedition “Youth of the Baikal Region to the Heroes of Khalkhin Gol.”Applications for participation in the competition were accepted by the Department of Youth Policy of the Ministry of Physical Culture, Sports and Youth Policy of the Irkutsk Region from seven teams, but six took part in the competition. “Eley,” “Inter-Baikal,” cadets of the East Siberian Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, students of Bratsk State University, and the working youth team “Good People” became the winners of the competition for the right to participate in the expedition. The competition included 3 stages — history, orienteering, and an obstacle course in open terrain. In the end, certificates for participation in the expedition “Youth of the Baikal Region – to the Heroes of Khalkhin Gol” were presented by Deputy Governor of the Irkutsk Region Yury Gurtovoy to five teams that scored the highest number of points.
At the Irkutsk Regional Blood Transfusion Station, 12 students — participants in the expedition, representatives of the leading universities of the regional center, donated blood free of charge. In this way, the participants of the third international expedition to Mongolia, “Youth of the Baikal Region to the Heroes of Khalkhin Gol,” marked the day the fighting began in the Khalkhin Gol River area in 1939
Modern historians pay great attention to the victory of the Soviet and Mongolian troops in those battles. It largely prevented Japan from attacking the Soviet Union during World War II. About 23,000 Soviet soldiers were killed during the four months of fighting in Mongolia. It was the fiercest and bloodiest battle.
Young men and women who visited the blood transfusion station said that students are going through a difficult time now—taking exams and tests—and some of their peers were unable to break away from their studies. Few took the officially granted leave from classes; mostly, after all the procedures, the students rushed off to their universities to finish writing, retake exams, and defend their work. The blood donation procedure takes a certain amount of time — first, everyone who arrives fills out questionnaires — this is a necessary condition, then they give a finger-prick blood sample — doctors determine the hemoglobin level and blood type. After that, the potential donor is examined by a therapist. Hot sweet tea, cookies, chocolate — not just refreshments — are an essential ritual to prepare the body; they are necessary for the donor before and after giving blood. Expedition leader Vitaly Korytnikov noted: “The teams ‘Eley’ from the Irkutsk House of Children’s Creativity and ‘Inter-Baikal’ arrived today in almost full force. On ‘Donor Day,’ which traditionally gathers people willing to donate blood at transfusion stations in June, the other expedition participants will make up for what they missed.”