Belarus and Poland hold ceremonies marking WWII invasion and Soviet deportation anniversaries

On June 22, 2025, about 2,000 people gathered at the “Ola” memorial complex in Belarus to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union and the broader suffering of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War. Families shared personal recollections, underscoring the importance of passing the history to younger generations.

In Poland, two separate commemorations took place. In Rozworach, residents, officials and descendants of deportees observed the 85th anniversary of the fourth Soviet deportation to Siberia with a ceremony at the local Obelisk of Memory, followed by a Mass. A similar event was held in Białystok, where officials and representatives of deportee organisations marked the 85th anniversary of the June 1940–41 mass deportations to the East with wreath‑laying at the Grave of the Unknown Siberian and the monument to Siberian mothers. Both Polish events highlighted the continued relevance of remembering forced Soviet relocations and their impact on families.