Mikalai Statkevich’s father is not alone…

While visiting the Committee “Salidarnasc”, the chairman of Belarusian Language Society’s Baranavichi office, Viktar Syritsa told about the support of Baranavichy activists to the former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich’s father.

 
For past few years, he has become to us as a relative. We often visit him on holidays as well as on the occasion of his and his son’s birthdays. We bring him regales, newspapers. He loves to cook drannniki and he bakes delicious buns. Usually, by drinking tea, we speak about our political prisoners and read their letters.
 
The father often recalls his son’s youth and the years of his military career. Mikalai was an excellent pupil at the Baranavichi school №14. He had ability to solve problems in physics and mathematics by using an unusual method.
 
Mikalai had a good insight in regards to technics and he always wanted to join the army. He was tempted by high rank and officer honor. Mikalai graduated from Higher School of Engineering Anti-aircraft Missile. The father happily recalls an episode when Mikalai was sent to the Machulishchy military unit  where he promptly managed to solve a very difficult technical problem. Senior officers couldn’t solve it and a young military man did it! The general hugged the guy and thanked him:
 
“You are the one we just need…!”
 
For some time, Mikalai served in Arctic Circle. He was recognized as the best officer in his field at the anti-aircraft defense unit which covered the entire North of the European part of URSS. He got the supreme combat qualification “Master”.
 
In January, we congratulated Viktar Statkevich on the occasion of his 86^th anniversary. I’m always very pleased to talk to him because he, like me, has an historical education. We got subscribe him to newspaper “Nasha slova”. Mr. Viktar receives a lot of letters from Belarus and Germany, where his granddaughters live as well as from his son Mikalai, on Wednesdays. All the letters reach Viktar Statkevich. When he learned that his son had awarded Villi Brandt Prize, tears of joy appeared on his face.