DERBENT, June 11 – RIA Dagestan. On the eve of Russia Day, Fedor Shchukin, Acting Head of the Republic of Dagestan, led the official opening of the "Patriot" military-patriotic park in Derbent. For Dagestan, the governor said, the park is not merely a new public facility—it reflects the continuity of generations, pays tribute to the sacrifices of those who went before and expresses a shared duty toward the country's prospects. He underscored the symbolic value of its placement: by the ancient walls of Derbent, which have withstood many centuries and on the Caspian Sea, the shoreline where the nation's military traditions have been built.
The Park is the first facility of its kind in the Northern Caucasus, covering an area of over 200,000 square meters. It is located on the coast of the Caspian Sea and includes children's and sports playgrounds, a museum, an observation deck, an amphitheater and zones for military-themed games.
The main exhibit is the legendary "Lun" ekranoplan, 74 meters long, which was delivered from Kaspiysk by ships of the Caspian Flotilla. It was launched in 1986 and is the only fully built combat missile-carrying ekranoplan in the world.
The Park also features an open-air exhibition of military equipment, including MiG and Su fighters, an Mi-24 helicopter, tanks, APCs and artillery guns.
