Italy Pays Tribute to Kazakh Soldiers Who Fell Liberating the Country’s Northern Regions

Yerbolat Sembayev, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Italy, laid flowers at a memorial obelisk in Trieste honouring 36 Kazakh soldiers of the 30th Division of the Ninth Corps of the Yugoslav People’s Liberation Army who died during World War II while helping liberate northern regions of Italy. Representatives of local authorities, civil society organisations, and the Kazakh diaspora also took part in the ceremony.

Ambassador Yerbolat Sembayev congratulated those gathered on Victory Day in World War II, noting that the occasion symbolises the immortal sacrifice of our ancestors, who defended their homeland in the bloodiest war in human history. He emphasised the significant contribution of the Kazakh people to victory over nazism, noting that many Kazakhstanis voluntarily went to the front and gave their lives for the freedom and independence of their homeland.

“Today, thanks to this memorial obelisk in Trieste, we proudly remember the names of those who gave their lives for victory. Hundreds of our compatriots, through their immortal acts of courage, forever inscribed their names in the history of the Great Victory. The names of the 36 Kazakhstanis who took part in the liberation of Trieste, along with other war heroes, will remain in our memory forever,” – Yerbolat Sembayev said.

The obelisk was unveiled on April 25, 2010. It was created by Kazakh sculptor A. Kutanov. In 2025, the monument was restored with the support of Kazakhstan’s Honorary Consul in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Luca Bellinello.