Dear professors, teachers, workers, undergraduates and postgraduates of Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University!

Dear veterans of the university!

Here comes Victory Day — our most heart-warming and revered holiday. And every year, we meet this day with joy and excitement.

72 years ago, the Great Patriotic War (the Eastern Front of WWII) firestorm blew out. The Victory cost our country sufferings, hardships; it was won at the cost of heroic and labour deeds. We are proud of warriors who defended honour and independence of our Motherland, the ones who freed the world from Fascism. We bow our heads before citizens of Leningrad who fought against the enemy during the hard time of the Siege of Leningrad.

Our veteran organisation unites 172 veterans, war workers, and citizens of the besieged Leningrad and former prisoners of concentration camps. Twenty-nine of them still work. These people who proved their faith in their country and duty in inhuman conditions of the war make the golden «community» of the university. On these May days, the words of congratulations are addressed to them.

On behalf of the entire university community, I would like to wish strong health and energy. You were united by hardships of the wartime. One cannot count privations that fell upon you. So, may only a peaceful sky looks down on you! However far from the 1945 May day salute we might be now, the light of gratitude to you will never die out. We bow before you!

May all heroes be eternally glorified! May all who gave their lives for freedom of our Motherland be remembered! Their immortal deeds are the base of national spiritual wealth.

Congratulations!

Happy Victory Day!

Rector Alexander Panychev