Anniversary of the Royal "Alyosha" monument in Bulgaria On November 5, 1957, a 17-meter long monument was unveiled in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in honor of the Soviet soldier-liberator, who was popularly known as Alyosha. During the Great Patriotic War, Bulgaria, despite its alliance with Nazi Germany, remained officially neutral. Despite this, there were tens of thousands of German soldiers in the country, Luftwaffe planes were based at airfields and German warships entered the harbors freely. The government of the Soviet Union repeatedly appealed to the Bulgarian side with a proposal to break the alliance with Germany and withdraw the German forces, but the fascist regime refused each time. As a result, on September 5, 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria. On September 8, Soviet forces of the 3rd Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin entered Bulgarian territory and began to advance throughout the country. On September 9, a popular uprising started in the capital by the "Homeland Front" and the rebel army for the liberation of the peoples, which ended with the overthrow of the Muraviev government. The "Homeland Front" government was established, led by Kimon Georgiev, which almost immediately declared war on Germany and Hungary. By the end of the month, German forces were expelled from Bulgarian territory, and units of the Bulgarian army, together with Soviet soldiers and Yugoslav partisans, began the liberation of Yugoslavia. In memory of the liberation of Bulgaria from the German soldiers and the fascist regime after the war, it was decided to erect a monument to the Soviet liberating soldier. The opening of the royal monument took place in a festive atmosphere on November 5, 1957 in the city of Plovdiv. The monument was nicknamed by the people by one of the most popular Russian names - "Alyosha".

Anniversary of the Royal "Alyosha" monument in Bulgaria On November 5, 1957, a 17-meter long monument was unveiled in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in honor of the Soviet soldier-liberator, who was popularly known as Alyosha. During the Great Patriotic War, Bulgaria, despite its alliance with Nazi Germany, remained officially neutral. Despite this, there were tens of thousands of German soldiers in the country, Luftwaffe planes were based at airfields and German warships entered the harbors freely. The government of the Soviet Union repeatedly appealed to the Bulgarian side with a proposal to break the alliance with Germany and withdraw the German forces, but the fascist regime refused each time. As a result, on September 5, 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria. On September 8, Soviet forces of the 3rd Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin entered Bulgarian territory and began to advance throughout the country. On September 9, a popular uprising started in the capital by the "Homeland Front" and the rebel army for the liberation of the peoples, which ended with the overthrow of the Muraviev government. The "Homeland Front" government was established, led by Kimon Georgiev, which almost immediately declared war on Germany and Hungary. By the end of the month, German forces were expelled from Bulgarian territory, and units of the Bulgarian army, together with Soviet soldiers and Yugoslav partisans, began the liberation of Yugoslavia. In memory of the liberation of Bulgaria from the German soldiers and the fascist regime after the war, it was decided to erect a monument to the Soviet liberating soldier. The opening of the royal monument took place in a festive atmosphere on November 5, 1957 in the city of Plovdiv. The monument was nicknamed by the people by one of the most popular Russian names - "Alyosha".