- said the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev about the defense of the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria in the Great Patriotic War, presenting the head of Nalchik administration Zalimgeri Khagasov with the certificate conferring Nalchik the honorary title of  “City of Military Glory”. The solemn ceremony of awarding was held in the Kremlin, with the participation of Kabardino-Balkarian delegation headed by the President of KBR Arsen Kanokov.

- Our people were victorious in what really was one of the most brutal wars of the twentieth century, they saved our country and the whole world from Nazism and gave us all the gift of a future. It is our duty to honour the heroism of every one of our Motherland’s defenders, those who fought in the major battles, those who fought to occupy nameless hills, those whose presence on the battlefield and the home front helped us inch closer to the great Day of Victory – said Dmitry Medvedev opening the ceremony.

He underlined that the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was forged not only in places where the great and monumental battles were fought - it was forged in other, often difficult circumstances, perhaps not so significant in the course of the war at that time.

- That is why the Cities of Military Glory will be singled out in a special way near our sacred monument, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – promised Dmitry Medvedev.

- During a large-scale military operation, the Transcaucasus Front disrupted enemy plans to seize the Black Sea ports and oil fields.

Dmitry Medvedev’s grandfather Afanasy Fedorovich Medvedev was among sixty thousand “best sons and daughters of the republic” who went to the front from Kabardino-Balkaria in 1941 - Zalimgeri Khagasov reminded the President of this fact and invited Dmirty Anatolievich to visit Kabardino-Balkaria.

 According to the tradition, the certificate is given to the mayor, veterans and graduates from the best educational institutions of the city. The certificate for Nalchik was handed to Zalimgeri Khagasov together with the veteran of the Great Patriotic War Ivan Poleshchuk (who was one of the initiators to apply Nalchik for the honorary status) and the pupil of the lyceum No2 Azamat Khochuev.

People in Nalchik had been waiting for the happy news since the mid February, when the commission from the administration of the President of the RF came here to get acquainted with the applicant city. Testimonies of heroism and courage of dwellers of Nalchik, displayed during the war time, greatly impressed the members of the commission. Also, the information about housing for the veterans, assistance rendered to them by the authorities, archive documents, photo and video materials, press publications of those years’ events were provided to our Moscow guests.

On March 25-th , 2010 Dmitry Medvedev has issued the Decree conferring the cities  Volokolamsk, Bryansk, Nalchik, Vyborg and Kalach-on-Don the Honorary Title of “City of Military Glory”.

The President of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov mentioned that conferring Nalchik the Honorary Title of “City of Military Glory” – is the great honour for all citizens of our republic and acknowledgment for the services of the veterans – defenders of Nalchik. “We would like to express our deepest regards for your feat of arms! We will do our best to ensure that everyone of you, everyone who contributed to our victory sees and feels that we know and remember you, and that caring about our veterans is the first duty for the republican authorities, and the whole society.”

Today the official document, confirming the honorary status will arrive to the capital of our republic. And on the 9-th of May, city dwellers and guests will celebrate two momentous events together: the 65-th anniversary of the Great Victory and conferring Nalchik the new status, the status of “City of Military Glory”.