Students from the State University of Education, YarSU named after P.G. Demidov, Kursk State University, Oryol State University named after I.S. Turgenev, and Belgorod State National Research University competed for the main prize – the Cup of the League of Historical Games and a bust of the great naval commander.
Opening the final game, the rector of YarSU Artem Ivanchin noted that the figure of Ushakov was not chosen as the central one by chance — the admiral did not suffer a single defeat and did not lose a single ship. In his speech, he stressed that the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation has done a lot to perpetuate the memory of Ushakov, and projects such as the League of Historical Games are a wonderful platform where young people continue to immerse themselves in history and preserve traditions.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation, Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin, noted that "the Foundation's activities are based on three tasks: historical continuity, promotion and development of values inherent in our society, and, of course, preservation of memory".
Before the start of the game, the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation and YarSU named after P.G. Demidov signed an agreement on further cooperation.
The finalists needed to present Fyodor Ushakov's influence on his era. The students demonstrated not only knowledge of the admiral's biography and the main events of that historical period, but also prepared costumes corresponding to the fashion of that era.
The students of the State University of Education became the winners of the League of Historical Games. However, the members of the jury were so impressed by the teams' performance that they decided to present all the finalist universities with busts of Fyodor Ushakov, made according to the project of sculptor Alexander Apollonov.
Dmitry Shlopak, head of the initiative group for the construction of the Spiritual and Historical Complex in honor of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov: "The main prize for the winners of the League of Historical Games is the installation of a bust of Fyodor Ushakov on the territory of the winning team's university. This is not just a tribute to the great admiral, but also a symbol of spiritual unity and historical memory. The names of the winners, thanks to whom it was installed in the city, will be indicated on the pedestal of the bust. This year, all the teams impressed the jury members so much that the initiative group decided to install busts of Fyodor Ushakov in all the finalist cities: Moscow, Yaroslavl, Orel, Kursk and Belgorod. We are sincerely glad that this year we managed to implement the idea with the main prize, which will remind future generations of heroism and devotion to serving the Fatherland."
The winners spoke about their participation in the competition and their impressions of the game. "This award," Dmitry Podanev, a 1st-year master's student of the Faculty of History, Political Science and Law, is convinced, "perpetuates the memory not only of what students have achieved within the university, but also of how the Foundation and other organizers appreciate their contribution to the historical field."
The YarSU team was awarded a special jury prize, and its player Alina Popova also received an individual award for acting skills.
The Oryol University team won the "History Experts" category.
Kirill Arsoev, a player of the State University of Education team, was awarded the Admiral's Award for the most vivid embodiment of the image of Admiral Ushakov. Admiral Valuev, former commander of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy, addressing the finalists, said that "thanks to Suvorov and Ushakov, not a single cannon in the world could speak without coordination with Russia".
After the award ceremony, a special screening of the documentary film "Admiral Ushakov. Ascent" (Author of the idea and general producer Viktor Leshchenko, Director Sergey Lachin, producer Dmitry Shlopak) took place in the House of Actors named after Sergei Puskepalis. Before the screening of the film, Sergey Lachin admitted: "When documentary dramas are conceived and the budget is bursting at the seams due to the fact that actors request large fees, I now know where to turn. Definitely, screenwriters will be found among you! This is not a joke, not a compliment — it's just, consider it, a business proposal."
The League of Historical Games is held with the support of the Russian Historical Society, the Russian Military Historical Society, the Russian Knowledge Society, the Government of the Yaroslavl Region, the Istoki Endowment Fund, the History of the Fatherland Foundation, the Yaroslavl State University named after P.G. Demidov, the Interium Digital Agency and the initiative group for the construction of the spiritual and historical complex in honor of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov in the city of Moscow, in Levoberezhny.
Photos by Andrey Turov