The participants in the ceremony were Vladimir Shelikhov, Deputy Head of the Federal Communications Agency; Major General Nikolai Ryabchikov, acting Head of the Personnel Department at the National Guard of the Russian Federation; Colonel Alexey Stromakov, Head of the 604
th Special Purpose Centre
Vityaz of the National Guard of the Russian Federation; Alexander Nikishin, Hero of the Russian Federation and Vice-president of the Association for Social Protection of the
Rus’ Special Purpose Department Veterans; and Lieutenant General Anatoly Shkirko, a board member of the Association of Combat Veterans of Russia’s Internal Affairs Agencies and Internal Troops.
The history of the 604
th Special Purpose Centre began in the 1970s when in preparation for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, an elite group of the Separate Operational Purpose Division troops was trained with special forces tactics; the core of this group later became the Vityaz unit. 14 solders of the Centre were awarded the distinguished title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. The Centre is the recipient of the Order of Kutuzov, which is a high estimate of the soldiers’ selfless service and recognition of their courage and valour.
“The Federal Communications Agency together with Marka joint-stock company give great attention through their philatelic activities to patriotic education of citizens, and the release of the postcard with a circulation of 9,000 copies continues the tradition. I am certain that the stamped card will become a unique item in philatelic collections all over the world and will help today’s event to go down in history”, said Deputy Head of Rossvyaz.
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