Interviewed by Colonel Viktor SAYDAKOV, senior permanent correspondent for the Siberian Military District of the magazine "Orientir"

Viktor Aleksandrovich Tolokonsky was born in Novosibirsk on May 27, 1953. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the General Economics Department of the Institute of National Economy, from which he graduated with honors. He continued his education in the postgraduate program at Novosibirsk State University, where he also worked as a teacher.

In December 1981, he was appointed Head of the Department of Industry and Consumer Goods of the Regional Planning Commission, and later Deputy Chairman of the Planning and Economic Department of the Novosibirsk Region. Since February 1986, he has been the First Deputy Chairman of the Planning and Economic Department.

From 1991, he worked as Deputy Chairman and, a year later, as First Deputy Chairman of the Novosibirsk City Executive Committee. In December 1993, he became Mayor of Novosibirsk. In March 1996, he was elected to this position.

In January 2000, Vladimir Tolokonsky was elected Head of the Novosibirsk Region Administration.

- Viktor Alexandrovich, it is known that military-patriotic education helps in preparing for military service. This is a targeted policy of the regional administration. What has been done and is being done in this area?

- There is no doubt that a strong army is essential for a strong state. I believe that our army should be made up entirely of professionals, i.e., people who have trained in the military and serve on a contract basis. To achieve this, we need to develop a special program that makes military service both morally and financially attractive. However, I understand that our country cannot fully abandon compulsory military service at this time. Nevertheless, it should be fundamentally different.

All young men should be put on an equal footing. We need to streamline the system of deferments, in particular, to give everyone the opportunity to receive an education, including a trade. I also believe that the mandatory service should be structured differently. For example, it could last anywhere from six months to a year.

However, as I mentioned earlier, the government does not have the necessary funds for this, so I do not expect any significant changes in this area.

Speaking about military-patriotic education, I would like to say that it is an excellent tool for training military personnel. We have always instilled a love for the army and the Motherland through our wonderful traditions. In Novosibirsk, the work on military-patriotic education of young people has never stopped. Now, it is being filled with new content and gaining a second life.

The Law on Youth has been adopted and is in effect in the Novosibirsk Region. The regional and city committees for youth affairs are working on promising programs that give a significant place to military-patriotic education.

School museums with a distinct thematic focus have begun to revive. For example, School No. 41 has a museum dedicated to partisan glory, School No. 70 has a museum called "Normandy-Neman", School No. 149 has a museum dedicated to the heroic deeds of Dmitry Karbyshev, and School No. 2 has a museum dedicated to the legendary Alexander Pokryshkin, among others. Moreover, their revival is the work of not only enthusiasts, journalist I. Nechay, now deceased, war veteran A. Shurupov, teacher A. Kuzmina (the list goes on), but also the entire population of the region and, of course, those who are obliged to do so by their official duties, such as youth committees, departments of public education, veterans' councils, military registration offices, and military schools. These museums have truly become centers for fostering love for one's homeland.

I would like to say special words to the museum staff.

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history of the Siberian Military District, located in a wonderful old building in the city center. It was once built as a monument to the Siberian heroes who died during the First World War. In my opinion, the district command acted wisely, leaving the status of district officers for the Officers ' House and the Museum, despite the transfer of the district headquarters to Chita. Thousands of boys and girls come here to join in the exploits of their fathers and grandfathers; young warriors to take the oath; veterans to remember the old days. The museum is headed by retired Colonel L. Sobodrov. Another employee of this cultural institution, the tour guide Yu. Fabrike, came up with the idea of revising the birth dates of the districts, as their history does not begin in 1917, as previously believed, but much earlier, in the mid-19th century, when Russia underwent a significant military reform. The President of the Russian Federation has established the birth date of the Siberian Military District as August 6, 1865. By the way, this initiative has set a precedent: there are districts that are actually older than the Siberian district, but they continue to consider the first decades of the 20th century as the dates of their creation.

Speaking about the problems of military-patriotic education in the Novosibirsk region, you can tell a lot of interesting things about military-patriotic associations (there are about twenty of them), about their cooperation with the Russian Union of Military-Technical Associations, the regional military enlistment office, military schools, about how basic military training is being revived in schools, how the finals of the long-forgotten "Zarnitsa" are being held, and much more. All of this is happening. Patriotic traditions are developing. I would like to focus on a very important charitable act, in the process of which children receive such a spiritual charge, which is enough for a lifetime. I am referring to expeditions that search for the graves of soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War. We have two such military-patriotic associations: "MGiV" ("Courage, Heroism and Will"), which is headed by A. Nekrasov, and "Landing" - until recently it was commanded by O. Makiev. He has now been appointed Chairman of the Regional Youth Committee. About 7,000 soldiers' remains have been reburied by Siberian boys and girls. Hundreds of names have risen from obscurity and shone with glory on monuments and obelisks.

One example shows the spiritual impact that such good deeds have on the hearts of teenagers and the general population.

Last year, during a search expedition in the Leningrad region, the MGI students managed to identify the owner of a found dog tag, Lieutenant Grigory Zuborovsky. It was there, on a small patch of land, that he fought his last battle. As the searchers later discovered, the native of the village of Kirza in the Novosibirsk region had already been awarded the Medal of Courage. The remains of this brave soldier were reburied in the cemetery of his home village. In the autumn, a cortege consisting of an armored personnel carrier carrying the ashes of the brave Siberian soldier departed from the Siberian Cadet Corps building. On this day, both young and old gathered in the Siberian village. The act of reburial served as a lesson in courage and high morality.

There are many such examples. I know that a lot is being done in this direction in neighboring regions and provinces. Nevertheless,

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We need a clear, coordinated national program for military-patriotic education.

- Viktor Alexandrovich, a significant number of troops are stationed in the region. It is well known that the social problems of the military are the problems of the entire society. What assistance does the regional administration provide to the army?

- In Siberia, it has never happened that the army and the population lived by themselves. The troubles of military personnel are our troubles. And we have common joys, because in our region the once national slogan "People and army are one" still lives on. This is expressed not only in the fact that we come to the rescue when we are asked for it. Regional and city administrations, as well as other government structures, are in constant interaction with military units and subunits. We have repeatedly provided fuel for training exercises and provided special rations for soldiers and officers.

For several years now, the regional budget has been funding the Day of the Conscript, officer balls, and military sports games. The governor of the region, the mayor of Novosibirsk, and other officials participate in almost all of these events. Naturally, during such visits, the regional administration's leaders strive to provide gifts to military units. To achieve this, they first identify the most pressing issues faced by the units and formations. By the time of the military oath-taking ceremony, ten companies and platoons of the Leningrad-Pavlovsk Motorized Rifle Division received color TVs, and one of the schools in the village where the RVSN unit is located and where the children of military personnel study was fully equipped with modern technical equipment.

3,075,000 rubles have been allocated from the regional budget for joint activities with military commissariats to register citizens for military service and strengthen the mobilization deployment base. The regional military enlistment office has received 1,750,000 rubles in financial assistance for mobilization training. The reconstruction of the district military hospital is being carried out under the special supervision of the administration. We provide food supplies to military units on credit and participate in the repayment of debts for electricity and heat.

- The Novosibirsk region was considered to have a large military-industrial potential. Is it possible to revive the military-industrial complex, and what needs to be done?

- The Novosibirsk region is unique in terms of its scientific and industrial potential, which has significantly influenced the development of the military-industrial complex. In fact, many aspects of the Novosibirsk region are unique. In fact, even its formation is unique. The rapid development of Novosibirsk in the 1920s and 1930s (it recently celebrated its 107th anniversary) led to comparisons with American cities, and there were even serious proposals to name it "Sibchicago." The development of this region was greatly stimulated by the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which was designed and built by the talented engineer Garin-Mikhailovsky. The future of the region was further shaped by the establishment of the first major scientific center with three academies of sciences beyond the Urals. This marked the integration of industry and science.

During the Great Patriotic War, a very large number of factories were moved to the Urals and Siberia. The same enterprises that produced civilian products on the ground were reorganized for military purposes. New enterprises, such as the Novosibirsk Tin Plant, the Efremov Plant, and many other military factories, emerged at an incredible pace, contributing significantly to the country's defense. For example, Sibmetallstroy (later known as Sibselmash) produced every fourth shell for the front. The production of aircraft at the Chkalov Plant increased significantly.

From the very beginning and after the war, the development of the region was focused on creating an industrial area with high technology, providing neighboring regions and areas with machinery, vehicles, and other equipment.

What is the current state of the military-industrial complex in the Novosibirsk region? Many defense-related enterprises are still facing difficulties. However, there have been positive changes after years of crisis. Many factories are now operating at full capacity.

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In 1994, about 3,000 Novosibirsk residents participated. 115 of them died, and 143 returned after being wounded. However, there is another type of injury: disorders that develop in people who have experienced severe stress. These soldiers are the focus of attention of the regional center for social adaptation, which is currently responsible for the psychological rehabilitation of soldiers who served in Chechnya.

In addition, in accordance with the decision of the interdepartmental commission on social protection of the population, a mechanism has been developed for cooperation between healthcare institutions, social protection agencies, and military commissariats in the districts and city for the psychological and medical rehabilitation of participants in the war in Chechnya and their family members.

In April and May of this year, the Life Line social support fund provided free insurance for all children from the families of deceased military personnel. Many commercial organizations are also responding to this common tragedy.

They started working in a new way. The volume of production at the Kometa, Kommunar, and Chkalov factories increased significantly. The development of the 21st century will be determined by high technologies, not raw materials. The military-industrial complex has been and remains the main keeper and developer of high technologies in our country. It is a national task to spread these technologies to other industries.

- In Chechnya, during the fighting, Siberians performed feats, often died, and many returned home wounded. What is being done in the field of psychological rehabilitation of participants in these events? What kind of assistance is provided to the wounded and the families of the victims?

- I will say right away: not a single family of a person who fought in Chechnya, was wounded there or died is deprived of our attention. It's a matter of honor. That is why the regional administration adopted the target program "Social protection of disabled military service for the period 1997-2000". We estimate the total cost of implementing this program at 20 million rubles. But this is something that, as they say, is done after the fact. We believe that soldiers should feel the constant support of their fellow countrymen and their homeland.

The region is patronizing the Itum-Kalinsky District of the Chechen Republic, where a department of internal affairs has been established and is operating. It is staffed by employees of the Novosibirsk police department and is primarily funded by the regional budget. To support the activities of the district police department, the construction and repair of various facilities in Chechnya, 20 vehicles, 8 wagons of construction materials, field kitchens, power plants, and other equipment were sent from the region.

In total, in the course of military operations in the North Caucasus, starting with the gratitude of OAO Belon, LLC GMSC, and the staff of local sanatoriums. These organizations and commercial structures have allocated funds, household appliances, and sanatorium vouchers to the families of deceased combatants. Currently, the regional administration is preparing a resolution on additional social protection measures for combatants and family members of military personnel who have died or gone missing while performing their duties in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation.

I will repeat once again: supporting the Armed Forces is our duty to the Siberian soldiers, who have always been excellent soldiers. I am confident that the Russian army will continue to grow with their help.

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