Great footage of an emotional good-bye to the Russian ideal of a hero.
This post first appeared on Russia Insider
Russians do pageantry extremely well - perhaps it is in their bones because of the ornate pageantry of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Even under the Communists, the Russians were better at it than their Western counterparts. Parades, Funerals, Marches - especially if it involves the military, are always fascinating in Russia.
This video is worth watching - honor guards, rifle volleys, comapny flags, military vehicles, top Russian military leaders present - the works.
This burial also reminds us how close the Syrian war is to the Russian public psyche. Keep in mind that Asapov's death was quickly blamed in the media on 'The Americans', coming, as it did, after angry accusations from the Russian military that the US was aiding and abetting ISIS and Al Qaeda militants engaged in direct combat with Russian forces in Syria.
This moving ceremony serves to remind us that Russia and the US are effectively at war in Syria, with both sides taking casualties - a troubling state of affairs, no doubt, and the direct result of a US foreign policy hi-jacked by neoconservative ideologues.
Full transcript follows video (best parts in bold)
Anchor:
Today, in the Moscow suburbs, a funeral service was held for General Valery Asapov.
He died in Syria, his location was shelled out from a mortar by ISIS terrorists. Valery Asapov received a high-rank government award, postmortem. The commander's colleagues and family came to pay their respect.
My colleague Andrey Grigoryev reports from the Military Memorial Cemetery.
Reporter:
He died on the front line, shelled out by mortars, in Syria's Deir-ez-Zor, which is now being freed by the government forces.
Major General Valery Asapov was senior to the military advisers in Syria. He was young, only 51, his wife and two kids are crying on his grave.
It looks like all the high-ranking officers of the Russian Army are here. Chief of Staff of the Russiam Military puts up flowers, Deputy Minister of Defense comforts the family. The ceremony has been going on for hours, and there are still people who want to say goodbye.
Ryazan Paratroop Academy. Platoon, troop, battalion, regiment, division, brigade, building, army. Asapov climbed the entire ladder of the Army hierarchy. Chechnya, Abkhazia, South Ossetia. The field General was badly injured during the Grozny (Chechnya) storming, he returned to his troops, but had a limp until his death.
Then it was the Far East, from where he left for Syria, this trip was his last. In Ussuriysk, where Asapov was also the commander, mourning ceremonies were held as well.
"He was a good officer, a General, everyone respected him. I've never heard anyone say anything bad or negative about him."
Only the most deserving, brave ones are buried on the main Military Memorial Cemetery in Mytishchi.
Valery Asapov was seen off with all the military honors.
Weapon cradle, General's service cap, military orchestra, honor guard with crepe mourning bands and a three-volley salute.
This post first appeared on Russia Insider
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