Black Tulip Memorial, Yekaterinburg (must see)

The Black Tulip Memorial commemorates soldiers who died in the Soviet war in Afghanistan and in later military conflicts. It was inaugurated on August 5, 1995, at a time when public discussion of these wars was becoming more open. The memorial avoids references to battles or victories and instead focuses on loss, absence, and the return of those who did not come back alive. Its theme reflects a shift from official military narratives toward personal memory.

The name “Black Tulip” refers to the Antonov An-12 military transport aircraft used to repatriate the bodies of fallen soldiers, officially recorded as “Cargo 200.” For families and veterans, the aircraft became a lasting symbol of grief and final journeys home. The term entered wider public awareness through a well-known song by Alexander Rosenbaum, which helped fix the image of the Black Tulip in cultural memory and public language.

The artistic design centres on a 4.7-metre-tall bronze soldier sitting with his head lowered and a rifle across his knees. The pose suggests tiredness and grief rather than victory. Around him stand metal pylons about 10 metres high, shaped like the inside of an An-12 aircraft. They can also be seen as wings or flower petals, forming a closed space around the figure. Nearby plaques list the names of the fallen. Visitors often stop to read them or leave flowers, and the memorial remains a quiet place for reflection.