PANO – Vietnam treasures important contributions by the international peace-loving community, particularly the former Soviet Union including Ukrainian volunteer military experts and consultants, to the final victory for independence and freedom of Vietnam.

This was stressed by Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh, Deputy Minister National Defence, at the reception held for a delegation of Ukrainian veterans who helped Vietnam in the US-waged war in Vietnam, in Hanoi on August 17th.

Mr. Genadii Usynin (L) hands over to Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh a Soviet naval uniform that he used in the war in Vietnam.

The Ukrainian guests’ visit to Vietnam between August 16th and 27th, at the invitation of leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, is a chance for them to witness the Vietnamese people’s achievements in the national construction and defence cause.

Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh affirmed that the visit is highly significant as Vietnam is preparing for the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19th) and National Day (September 2nd).

The general held that the Soviet veterans, including the Ukrainians, wholeheartedly supported Vietnam to protect its airspace during the fight against the US in the North Vietnam, contributing to Vietnam’s final victory on April 30th 1975 for national reunification.

With the moral principle “When you eat a fruit, think of the man who planted the tree”, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence has over the past years organized tours to former battlefields in Vietnam for the Soviet and Ukrainian veterans. Hence, Vietnam will keep the meaningful program for the coming time, underlined General Khanh.

He believed that through the visit, the Ukrainian guests would meet with their Vietnamese comrades-in-arms and share their experience to present troops of the Vietnam People’s Army, contributing to strengthening the mutual understanding and friendly relationship between the two countries’ armies and peoples.

In turn, Head of the Ukrainian delegation Genadii Usynin thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence for organizing such a meaningful program for them. Among 14 members of the delegation, many had arrived in Vietnam from the first days to help Vietnamese soldiers.

He was also glad to see the socio-economic development of Vietnam after returning to the S-shaped country after 40 years.

Mr. Genadii Usynin handed over to Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh a Soviet naval uniform used in the war in Vietnam, which will be exhibited in a museum in Vietnam later.

The same day, the Ukrainian veterans joined an exchange with veterans of the Vietnamese Air Defence-Air Force Service at its museum.

Translated by Van Hieu