MRB RGS representatives discussed issues of cooperation with the Naval Attache of the French Embassy in Russia

Participants of the event. Photo by O. Alexeev

The delegation included the Naval Attache of the French Embassy in Russia, Captain 2nd Rank Philippe Grussenmeyer and his assistant, Senior Midshipman Stéphanie Martinet. The meeting was attended by member of the MRB RGS Council Sergey Goncharov, project manager of the MRB RGS Anastasia Yagodina, as well as the head of the Naval Museum of the Northern Fleet Branch in the village of Safonovo, reserve Colonel Sergey Checherov.

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From left to right: Stéphanie Martine, Philippe Grussenmeyer, Sergey Checherov. Photo by A. Yagodina

It is important to emphasize that this is the first such visit by representatives of the French military diplomatic mission to Murmansk in 10 years. One of the main reasons for the meeting is the 80th anniversary of the Murmansk Arctic convoys.

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Participants of the event. Photo by A. Yagodina

In the Murmansk region there is a significant amount of evidence of military brotherhood and cooperation with France. Some of them were demonstrated as part of the exposition of the Museum of the Northern Fleet. In particular, memorable gifts from French delegations and crews of warships that visited the Murmansk region over the years were presented.

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Evidence of Russian-French cooperation in the North. Photo by A. Yagodina

During this visit, this collection was replenished. In particular, the Naval Attache of the French Embassy in Russia, Philippe Grussenmeyer, made a statement after visiting the museum, acknowledging the great importance of Arctic convoys for the history of cooperation between France and Russia:

"Arctic convoys are the most important page of our joint history. They illustrate our cooperation in the fight against fascism, the ways France contributed to the efforts of the Soviet military. At the behest of our famous General Charles de Gaulle, France allocated naval resources to provide escort for these convoys. Among these resources, the corvette Roselys in 1942 stood out for its participation in the convoys. On the 80th anniversary of the participation, I am pleased to present you this poster in memory of our friendship - "To our sailors who died in Arctic convoys."

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A commemorative poster. Photo provided by the museum of the Northern Fleet

Also, the leadership of the French Defense attache's office in Russia were presented the Museum of the Northern Fleet and the Murmansk Regional Branch of the RGS with souvenirs with the symbols of the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-3 fighter (the main combat vehicle of the Normandie-Niemen Regiment).

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Philippe Grussenmeyer presents a memorable gift to the MRB RGS. Photo by A. Yagodina

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A gift from the French delegation for the MRB RGS. Photo by A. Yagodina

“We are extremely grateful to France for the help it provided to the Soviet people in this terrible war, a war that claimed 28 million lives of Soviet citizens, tens of millions of lives of our allies. We won thanks to our cooperation" said Sergey Checherov, the head of the Naval Museum of the Northern Fleet Branch in the village of Safonovo.

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Participants of the event. Photo by O. Alexeev

The meeting can be considered the starting point of a new stage of French-Russian cooperation in the field of preserving the historical memory of the war in the North. The dialogue will be continued during the next visit of the French delegation to Murmansk in late March - early April.