Pigeongrams of Victory were sent at Altai State University (photo reportage)

6 May 2022 Department of Information and Media Communication

On May 6, on the eve of Victory Day, Altai State University held a solemn action "Victory Pigeons".

Rector of the University Sergey Bocharov, students, as well as schoolchildren who study at the House of Scientific Collaboration at AltSU, sent a symbolic message by pigeon post to the heirs of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Scientists and students of the Institute of Biology and Biology of Altai State University on the eve of Victory Day studied homing pigeons - the only birds that were in the service of the Soviet army. In honor of the 77th anniversary of the Victory, it was decided to reconstruct the delivery of news by pigeon mail to the descendants of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War.

Scientists from Altai State University cooperate with the Altai Pigeon Breeding Club of the Russian Pigeon Sports Federation, which is why they managed to organize such a beautiful event.

Opening the event, AltSU Rector Sergey Bocharov congratulated students and teachers on the upcoming holiday - Victory Day:

We want to send skyward our words of gratitude for the feat to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War by pigeon mail.

The Rector noted that the university always pays attention to the patriotic education of young people, these days many events at AltSU are organized to commemorate the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. This is the “Road to the Obelisk” action, when AltSU students go to the cemetery to clean the graves of front-line soldiers, holiday concerts, conferences, a field kitchen, and many others. The University also supports all-Russian campaigns: "Immortal Regiment," "Scientific Regiment," "Garden of Memory." Sending a message by winged post, by the one which could save soldiers’ lives, deliver messages of crucial importance, is also our sign of respect for the front-line soldiers.

Ornithologist student Nikita Dryanev told about how pigeon post helped at the front:

Pigeon post is a unique means of communication, it was impossible to listen to it, unlike messages transmitted by radio or wire. The pigeons were given a few days get familiar with the place, and then intelligence agents took them on missions. Having received information, soldiers compiled pigeongrams – short messages. They were put into a port-despatch (light metal tube), which was attached to the bird's leg. Or they were put into the stem of a goose feather and attached to the tail. During the war years, homing pigeons delivered 150,000 pigeongrams.

Snow-white homing pigeons carrying messages and the St. George ribbons were released into the sky in the university courtyard to the solemn music.

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