Medinsky opened the first monument to Ivan III and told about the dream of making a film about Kozelsk

The monument to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III is open in Kaluga. At the ceremony in front of the building of the administration of the Kaluga region, the Minister of Culture of Russia Vladimir Medinsky, who praised the leadership of the region for attention to history.

The bronze monument is erected by the Russian Military Historical Society. The sculptor Andrei Korobtsov depicted the prince with his right hand extended forward. In his left hand he holds a staff, on the top of which an eagle with open wings sits. According to RVIO, the cost of manufacturing the monument amounted to 20 million rubles, a pedestal and improvement - 24 million rubles. The monument was created for popular donations, reports TASS.

"Today, justice is given to one of the greatest, most vivid, powerful, effective, but for some reason underestimated the rulers of our country," Medinsky said at the ceremony.

The minister noted that the installation of the first monument to Ivan III of the Great is “a bright symbolic gesture of the unity and continuity of our history”. "It is wonderful that this is done here in Kaluga, because it was here, on the Ugra, on Kaluga land, Ivan III committed it with the Horde yoke. It is fine that this is done in the central square in front of the Kaluga administration. This shows what respect and attention to our history is the leadership of the Kaluga region," the minister said.

Ivan III Vasilievich was the Grand Duke of Moscow from 1462 to 1505. During the years of his reign, a unification of most of the Russian lands took place, the current Moscow Kremlin was built. In 1480, as a result of the great standing on the Ugra River (now this Kaluga region), the liberation of Rus' from the yoke of the Horde khans occurred, the independence of the Russian state was gained.

Medinsky wants to sing the feat of Kozelsk

The history of the heroic defense of Kozelsk on Kaluga land is worthy of reflection in the film, Medinsky also said. In his opinion, this defense is "unprecedented, unique, fantastic." "I dream of making a movie about this. Find a good producer and script," the minister said.

The defense of Kozelsk is an important event of the Mongol invasion of Rus'. The siege of the city lasted seven weeks. The goats resisted Batu. The capture occurred in the spring of 1238. Only the Kyivians resisted the Mongol khan longer.

Medinsky called the defense of Kozelsk a reference point important for national identity. In his opinion, long resistance showed that "yoke is not forever."