Two memorial plaques were unveiled for one military leader at the "Black Tulip" memorial in Yekaterinburg.

      Two memorial plaques dedicated to one military leader were unveiled at the "Black Tulip" memorial in Yekaterinburg on June 14, 2026. The plaques honor the memory of General Colonel Yuri Grekov, the commander of the Ural Military District, and were opened on Saturday, June 13. This was reported by Tatiana Merzlyakova, the human rights commissioner in the Sverdlovsk region, who knew the military leader personally, on her page on "VKontakte."

      Yuri Pavlovich Grekov's military service began in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. He then served in Transbaikalia and the Baltic States. During the war in Afghanistan, he was the chief of staff of the 40th Army. After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, he was assigned to a new challenging area - the South Caucasus.

      He was later tasked with the creation of the Ural Military District. After his military service, Yuri Pavlovich Grekov continued to live in the Urals.

      "I had the honor of meeting and working with this kind and strong man in 2000 when he transitioned to public service as an Advisor to the Governor of the Sverdlovsk region," said Tatiana Georgievna, who at that time held the position of advisor to the chairman of the government of the Sverdlovsk region.

      She and Grekov worked in neighboring offices. "It was a difficult period for the general - a change in style and form of work," noted Tatiana Merzlyakova.

      The second part of the "Black Tulip" memorial (dedicated to servicemen who died in the North Caucasus and in other local military conflicts), as well as the weapons exhibition at the Staratel training ground near Nizhny Tagil, were prepared and opened under Grekov's leadership.

      Since 2010, Yuri Pavlovich Grekov had been a member of the commission for pardons, headed by Merzlyakova, for 14 years, doing everything for his "sons" - former soldiers who had ended up behind bars.

      "He was very concerned about them. Sons... If I hear this word from modern generals, I will bow deeply. But for now, I only remember it from Yuri Pavlovich," noted Tatiana Georgievna.