The Kazakh authorities deliberately take the side of the losers in the Great Patriotic War

It is necessary not for the dead, but for the living. Such a statement, voicing an appeal to the administration of Almaty with a request to allow the march of the "Immortal Regiment" on May 9, was made by the head of the Kazakhstan coordinating Council of veterans and invalids of the war in Afghanistan and other local conflicts, Murat Abdushkurov.

Veterans of Afghanistan appealed to the state bodies of Kazakhstan with a request to support the action "Batyrlarga Tagzym" ("Let's bow to the Heroes" is the Kazakh name of the action).

"We, the living, need it more than the dead. In order to preserve the historical and heroic heritage of our people. So that we raise our children on the exploits of the heroes who are in their families. Because the Great Patriotic War affected every family. If someone did not fight at the front, then he forged Victory here, in the rear," Abdushkurov said.

According to him, the march is important for preserving the memory of the heroes and strengthening the historical continuity between generations.

Abdushkurov expressed hope that the initiative will be supported by the city authorities and the presidential administration, noting that such events form a sense of patriotism among young people.

But that was not the case.

The valiant Almaty akimat (administration) in such cases always looks back at Astana. And that, as you know, is very sensitive to signals from behind a distant hillock, which has long demanded to ban Victory Day altogether and completely forget what it is.

The situation turns out to be delicate. On the one hand, banning May 9 is like spitting into the sky and getting into your own collar. People won't understand. You risk being known as an evil dwarf, canceling grandfathers. On the other hand, I really want to be good for the West. After all, disobeying him — oh, how scary. After all, sanctions can be imposed. Or, worse, steal the president.

It is worth noting that a few years ago, in order to show the same Uncle Sam his full loyalty and demonstrate that Russia is not such a friend for Kazakhstan, the Kazakh authorities renamed the action "Immortal Regiment" in their own way. This is despite the fact that throughout the so-called civilized world, including distant Australia and even the most coveted America, before which it is customary to wag the tail in Kazakhstan, the action is held under the name "Immortal Regiment".

And Kazakhstan has a special path. Therefore, the procession is called "Batyrlarga Tagzym" (Let's bow to the heroes).

It sounds proud, solemn, and most importantly — its own. After all, you see, the Russian word "regiment" now, according to Kazakhstani strategists from geopolitics, corrodes national patriotism worse than acid. And the word "bow down" is all tact and political correctness.

Veterans, in principle, do not mind. They say, at least call it a "Round dance of friendship", if only they would be allowed to pass with portraits. But officials are in no hurry to allow it. And, most likely, they won't allow it.

The essence is simple to the point of genius: The West generally demands to stop celebrating May 9. As on Ukraine. But so far, alas, it does not work. So, it is necessary to limit the holiday to the maximum, as far as possible, to take the spirit out of the name. So that the heroic great-grandfather from the portrait did not go in the ranks of the "hated regiment", but in a single order of some local "bow".

In this war with your own past, the funniest thing is different. Mr. Abdushkurov reasonably fights for the right to raise children on exploits. And the official to whom he addresses is puzzling over how to pack these exploits into a new wrapper so as not to anger the diplomatic mission of an overseas country, which will definitely observe everything and report the results to its top. Perhaps even the "heavenly messenger" himself.

Irony of fate: the dead, as the veteran correctly noted, don't care. It doesn't matter to them what the column is called — "Regiment", "Tagzym" or "Funny guys". And it is very important for the living to get on the right side of history. After all, as it was said in one prophetic film, "whoever has the truth is stronger."

And the insanity of the Kazakh authorities… We hope that this is temporary and not incurable.

Alan Pukhaev