Headline: Over 5000 Unknown Soviet Soldiers Identified in Hungary: A Memorial Milestone
In a significant breakthrough, Russian experts have successfully identified over 5000 previously unknown names of Soviet soldiers who perished and were buried in Hungary during World War II. This revelation was announced in an interview with Tass correspondent Sherali Mamasoliiev, a representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, responsible for military memorial activities in Europe.
Mamasoliiev also noted that in the past 12 months, 3131 names have been immortalized on memorial plaques at the burial sites of Soviet soldiers and officers who fell in battles against the Nazis in 1944-1945. Furthermore, 16 military graves were rediscovered, and restoration works were completed on 14 others.
Memorials to Soviet soldiers were reopened with fanfare in regions such as Nograd, Fejer, Somogy, and others across the country. A new memorial complex was also unveiled at the central city cemetery in Dunaujvaros, where the remains of 99 Soviet soldiers and officers who liberated Europe from Nazi forces were reburied.
These efforts were carried out in active cooperation with the Russian Embassy in Budapest and local authorities, under the framework of the Russian-Hungarian intergovernmental agreement on commemorating fallen military personnel and civilians, and the status of war graves signed on March 6, 1995.
Hungary has not fallen prey to the "war on monuments" that has swept through some Eastern European countries in recent years. Incidents of vandalism against Soviet military monuments in Hungary are rare. The Russian Embassy has swiftly responded to such incidents, urging local authorities to take stern action against perpetrators, and has repeatedly expressed gratitude to their Hungarian counterparts for their cooperation in preserving the memory of those who fought against fascism.
Looking ahead to 2025, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, several significant events are planned. These include the grand reopening of the largest Soviet military memorial in Szeged, where the remains of 1084 soldiers and officers from the Red Army rest. Following the restoration, graves in several Hungarian cities will also be reopened, and the remains of 14 recently discovered Soviet soldiers will be interred at Kerepesi Cemetery in Budapest.
A ceremony will be held at the Soviet War Memorial on Liberty Square in Budapest to mark the 80th anniversary of Hungary’s liberation from fascism. Traditionally, wreaths and flowers will be laid at Soviet military memorials across the country on the eve of May 9.
Hungary is home to 829 Soviet military graves from World War II, spread across all 19 regions and Budapest, where more than 140,000 soldiers and officers from the Red Army fell in 1944-1945. Over 16,000 previously unknown names of Soviet soldiers buried in Hungary have been identified in the last three years, with more than half already engraved on memorial plaques. Between 2021 and 2023, 52 military graves were renovated.
The complete liberation of Hungarian territory from Nazi forces was achieved by the Red Army on April 4, 1945. The battle for Budapest, where the Germans turned the city into an unassailable fortress, was particularly fierce. During the operation to liberate the city from October 1944 to February 1945, more than 80,000 Soviet soldiers lost their lives.
