Valeria Ivanova, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Russian and Foreign Literature and Public Relations, joined the anniversary retro tour "Victory Steam Engine" along the Kuibyshev Railway as part of a historical reenactment team.
Held annually since 2022, the initiative has become a cherished tradition. In 2026, the retro train embarked on an 11-day journey, stopping at 23 stations—from major cities like Ufa, Sterlitamak, Bugulma, Naberezhnye Chelny, Ulyanovsk, Penza, Syzran, Tolyatti, and Samara to smaller settlements along the route.
The primary organizer, Kuibyshev Railway, implemented the project with support from local administrations and the historical club "They Fought for the Motherland." Led by the legendary steam locomotive "Lebedyanka," the retro consist featured 10 platforms displaying military equipment from the Great Patriotic War. Among the 23 major exhibits were T-70 and T-34 tanks, a captured "Praga" vehicle, ZIS trucks, howitzers, mortars, and more. At nearly every stop, organizers deployed exhibitions of small and medium firearms, period uniforms, and a fully equipped field medical hospital.
"This is my third journey with the Victory Steam Engine," shares Valeria.
"This year's route is far more dynamic—more exhibitions where reenactors demonstrate and explain WWII-era weaponry. People eagerly ask to take photos with us because we wear authentic 1940s uniforms. The response from all ages has been incredibly warm: for the older generation, we're a living snapshot of their youth; for children and young adults, we're history brought to life. And that truly matters. Our generation still met veterans of that war and heard their stories firsthand. Today's teenagers and children can only encounter that history through actions like this, through books and films."
Photo courtesy of Valeria Ivanova
