The World War II veterans visited the construction site of the Volgograd Arena Stadium

Photo gallery of the event
Video about the event

On May 5, 2016, on the threshold of the 71st anniversary of the Great Victory in the World War II the War veterans and the participants of the Stalingrad Battle and the Victory Parade 1945 for the first time visited the construction site of the Volgograd Arena Stadium.

The delegation of the veterans explored the main football arena of the city both outside and inside the construction site, having made a tour around the future football field. Veterans assessed the scale and the pace of construction, and also learned from the workers about peculiar features of the future stadium, in particular, the unique steel cable roofing of the stadium.

“We are impressed with such enormous scale of construction, such volume of works, coordination, preciseness, chairman of the Volgograd City Council of Veterans Alexander Dmitriyevich Strukov shared his impressions. - We are sure that the stadium will be constructed in time and matches will take place on the top-level. The veterans fought here, near Stalingrad, then restored the city from ruins. Opening of such an excellent stadium is a real holiday for them.”

The excursion was followed by an informal conversation in the construction office where the veterans came from the stadium at a vigorous pace, despite their respectable age. Participants of the meeting with a particular interest watched the video about construction of the arena and learned about the charitable project Navigator which is organized by PJSC STG and aimed at assisting the orphans in choosing the professional career and showing the importance and prestige of the construction and other working professions on its own example. The veterans were very much impressed by the model of the future arena. The veterans compared the steel cable roofing of the stadium with the lace patterns and noted that the arena looked "light and airy", despite the design scale.

During the meeting the veterans recalled the war history of the place where the stadium is now being built. Here, near Mamayev Kurgan, in 1942-1943 heavy fighting took place during the Battle of Stalingrad. The victory in the Battle commenced the mass exile of the aggressors from the Soviet land following by release of the occupied territories of Europe and a final victory in 1945.

Chief engineer of the Volgograd Arena Victor Baturo on behalf of PJSC STG expressed gratitude to veterans: “Only thanks to you, your deeds and sufferings the Soviet people have won the Great Patriotic War, and we have had a unique opportunity to live, build the future and change our life for the better. Thanks a lot from all of us – from those who are more senior than us, younger than us and from our generation as well. Your deed makes us alive. Your Victory will always be an essential life-long example for us".

At the end of the meeting all participants received memorable gifts from PJSC STG made specially on the occasion.