Monument to the Defenders of the Fatherland

The Monument to the Defenders of the Fatherland was unveiled on August 1, 2017 — the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow for the fallen defenders of Pridnestrovie — erected to honor two distinct groups of heroes whose sacrifice continues to be mourned by the Rybnitsa community.

The monument commemorates those from Rybnitsa who died defending the Republic during the armed conflict with Moldova in 1992, when 31 local residents gave their lives protecting Pridnestrovie’s independence. It also honors the soldiers from the city who perished during the Afghan war between 1979 and 1989 — among the 54 Pridnestrovians who died as heroes in that conflict, 9 were from Rybnitsa.

Funding for the monument was raised through contributions from both the institutions of the city and its citizens — a genuine collective act of commemoration that reflects the community’s deep attachment to the memory of its fallen sons. The eight-meter granite-lined stele bears the sign of Battle Brotherhood, a laurel branch and the inscription “Eternal Glory,” while 40 memorial plates installed around the monument’s perimeter carry the names of every fallen hero honored here, ensuring their individual stories of sacrifice remain permanently and personally recorded for future generations.

Location: Rybnitsa