Deputy Head of the Department Yunus-Bek Yevkurov noted that the popularity and attractiveness of such events will further contribute to the interaction of states
TERSKOL village /Kabardino-Balkarian Republic/, July 23. /tass/. Military personnel of mountain units from 13 countries, including countries of Africa and South America, will climb the highest point in Europe - Mount Elbrus as part of the Activities for Peace of the International Council of Military Sports (CISM). The grand opening of the competition was held at the Terskol Mountain Training and Survival Center, a TASS correspondent reports.
"This significant event unites military athletes from 13 countries. And I am sure that our holiday will demonstrate the triumph of the universal values of sport, equal opportunities and a friendly atmosphere. Participation in the ascent requires from you not only great physical fitness, but also high moral and volitional qualities," Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Colonel General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov said during the opening ceremony.
He clarified that the popularity and attractiveness of such events will further contribute to the interaction of states. "Climbing for Peace" on Mount Elbrus gathered military athletes from different countries and from different continents here today during this difficult time. <...> Elbrus has always been a symbol of peace and holiness," Kazbek Kokov, head of Kabardino-Balkaria, said during the opening ceremony. He recalled that during the Great Patriotic War, Elbrus became one of the symbols of victory over fascism, when Soviet troops in the winter of 1943 made a heroic ascent to the top to drop the German standards.
More than 50 representatives from 13 countries - Armenia, Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, China, Mongolia, Namibia, Oman, Ecuador and Russia - will take part in the ascent. A team of fighters who took part in a special military operation will also make the ascent.
"After being injured, I went through a long path of physical recovery in the unit. The assistant commander for physical training saw my efforts and helped in every possible way. We started with physical therapy, and after that - difficult exercises. At the direction of the higher command, he invited me to participate in such an event. Of course, I did not refuse," said Andrei Gladky, a participant in the ascent, an officer of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
A soldier of one of the mountain units of the Ecuadorian army noted that the journey to the highest mountain in Europe took his team three days. According to him, he and his colleagues are ready to climb. His unit's mountain training allows them to climb Elbrus, as their training takes place in the Andes at appropriate altitudes. "I came here, as the very name of the competition says, to climb for peace. It is of great importance to unite different nations through sports," said a soldier of the Ecuadorian army.
About the event
Every year, the International Council of Military Sports holds Events in the name of peace. The first event of this kind took place in 2021 in Greece. In 2022 and 2023, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran organized an "Ascent for Peace" to Mount Damavand (5,610 m), which is the highest volcanic peak in the Middle East. This year's events are taking place on Mount Elbrus. The total length of the route is 12,500 m, the climb is 3,442 m. The participants will finish at the western peak of Mount Elbrus (5,642 m).
