Businesspeople and auto enthusiasts praised Churapchi veterans on Victory Day.

In the heart of Yakutia, a historic event that often goes unnoticed during Victory Day celebrations is receiving a much-deserved recognition. A public initiative, spearheaded by local entrepreneurs and activists of the Yakut branch of the public organization "OPORA RUSSIA", aims to honour the Churapchinsky resettlers who were moved to the Arctic regions during World War II.

The resettlement, which took place in 1943, had catastrophic consequences for the population of Churapchinsky ulus. Demographic data shows a dramatic decrease in the population from 16,964 to 7,939. It wasn't until 1985 that the pre-war population was reached once again. Out of 4,988 settlers, only 1,108 returned to their native places as of January 1, 1947, leaving 1,655 individual households in Churapchinsky ulus. Out of these, 433 households remained in the district.

Evdokia Zakharova, the granddaughter of a resettler, expressed her special thanks for this initiative. Evdokia's father was also a settler. She, along with other Churapchinsky resettlers, made a significant contribution to the Great Victory by working on fish farms in harsh northern conditions.

The initiative has seen the participation of several entrepreneurs, including Georgii Karamzin ("Utum Invest+"), IP Ivan Danilov, IP Uliana Megina, IP Andrei Aulov, IP Leonid Solovev, IP Natalia Selezneva ("Gourmet"), IP Sargylana Sivtseva, and IP Yana Limareva (store "LED").

As part of the initiative, food packages were presented to all veterans living in the "City of Yakutsk" municipal district. The volunteer movement of women drivers "Fiziateriya" also supported the initiative, delivering gifts to the veterans for two days. Five women drivers participated in the event on behalf of the movement: Lyutsia Gorokhova, Sargylana Zholoban, Nyurguiya Androsova, Olga Vasilyeva, and Sardana Gotovtseva.

Lyutsia Gorokhova, captain of the women drivers' team of the NPO "Fiziateriya", stated, "We always respond to such requests because we believe the elderly need help."

The current participants of these events are practically granted the status of war veterans. This recognition is a testament to their resilience and the crucial role they played in Yakutia's history.

The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to address the gap in Victory Day celebrations regarding the Churapchinsky resettlement. By honouring these resettlers, the initiative seeks to ensure that their stories are not forgotten and their contributions are acknowledged.