Political and public figures of Russia about Heydar Aliyev

Today marks the 96th anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev's birth. A number of leading political and public figures of Russia shared their memories about Heydar Aliyev to Russian Bureau of Report News Agency:

People's artist of Russia, Leonid Yakubovich: Heydar Aliyev can be compared with De Gaulle and Churchill

Heydar Aliyev was a very important historical figure. He can undoubtedly be compared with such figures as Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill. The people loved Heydar Aliyev. I've heard it from a lot of people. First of all, they loved him and then respected. Not everyone can achieve such recognition among people.

I am in love with Azerbaijan. During my trip before the last one when I was in Baku, it was still a black smoky city and then suddenly I gasped. The main thing that struck me was the Martyrs' Alley. I always imagined this: mothers walking  with their children, and among the flowers you can suddenly see a memorial board or a whole complex. This is remarkable. It's a light sadness, not a tragedy with tears. And light sadness is a very good memory of those who have done a lot for their people.

State Duma Deputy Pavel Dorokhin: Everything we see now was laid under Heydar Aliyev

Heydar Aliyev is one of the leading political figures of 20th -21st centuries for all of us. During the Soviet period he was the head of the State Security Committee of Azerbaijan, the first Secretary of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan, highly valued in Moscow, then the first Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers. I remember this moment especially well, I was a student at that time and it was a surprise for us at first, however then we realized that it was logical to attract a regional leader of such a level to the Central Union government. And then after the collapse of the USSR, when Heydar Aliyev headed the Republic of Azerbaijan, he became a stabilizing factor. A man with great experience, wide outlook and broad thinking really led his Republic perfectly. Everything we see now was laid during his political rule. Therefore, our Communist Party treats his personality, his memory and heritage with great respect.

Journalist, columnist for the Russia-Culture TV Vladislav Flyarkovsky: Heydar Aliyev did the impossible

Heydar Aliyev's fate is the classic fate of a Soviet leader. Not just typical, but even higher than typical, a kind of a concentrated fate of a man who, unlike his colleagues, twice vaulted to the top. He ruled the Republic under the Bolsheviks, took the sidelines until 1993 and then again vaulted to the top. For me this the main trait of his fate, his nature. He did the impossible – twice came into the life of his Republic and people. It raised him.

Soviet and Russian statesman Valery Serov: Heydar Aliyev was a great citizen of his time

The more time passes, the more we all realize the role Heydar Aliyev played in the development of the Soviet Union and Azerbaijan. Especially in the last years of his life, when the situation was sometimes very difficult, Heydar Aliyev found the only right solutions that allowed him to build the right relations with Russia.

I consider him my teacher. I was very lucky to have worked with such a person. Today I raised the photos and found the one featuring us at the Intergovernmental Commission: Heydar Aliyev with general officers on the one side, and Russians on the other side.

Heydar Aliyev remained a great citizen of his time in the consciousness and memory of all thinking people.