In the memories of many generations of Vietnamese people, the former Soviet Union and today's Russia hold an important position. The Soviet Union helped Vietnam train nearly 40 thousand cadres and experts in many fields. The Vietnam - Soviet Union relationship is special not only in material and spiritual aspects but also in deep emotions.

TEACHERS IN THE SOVIET CLASSROOM

Without the help of countries including the Soviet Union, there would be no classes of military pilots returning to serve the country during the war years. Hero of the armed forces, Lieutenant General Pham Tuan is one of the "generation" of pilots whose career is closely linked to Russia and the Russian people.

Lieutenant General Pham Tuan assessed: "With the former Soviet Union and with Russia today, we always identify this as a friend, a very important strategic cooperation.

Our Party, State and people have highly appreciated Russia's role in the victory of the Vietnamese revolution as well as in the later cause of national construction and defense.

For me, Russia is a source of pride, a good and special affection, because most of what I have and have done is related to Russia.

From becoming a fighter pilot to shooting down a B-52 and becoming an astronaut, there have always been Russians accompanying me throughout that long journey.”

Lieutenant General Pham Tuan. Photo: Pham Hai

Hero Pham Tuan first set foot in the land of White Birch in 1965 when he was only 18 years old. Around the end of October 1965, a train transported Pham Tuan and many other young Vietnamese to the Soviet Union to study air force engineering (aircraft mechanics).

After a long journey, the young man was very impressed with the autumn landscape with maple, oak, and birch trees covered in majestic yellow color of Russia.

“The Russian teachers are very enthusiastic. They come from many backgrounds, some are children of martyrs, so they understand the war very well,” Mr. Pham Tuan said about the Russians he became close to when he started learning the Russian language.

To him, they are very kind, benevolent, simple, enthusiastic, open, and sociable people... Even though they just met for the first time, they already felt close and intimate like family. Everyone loves the Vietnamese students like their own relatives.

“At that time, talking about Vietnam meant talking about war, so our Soviet friends all thought about how to help the Vietnamese people who came here have enough capacity, qualifications, and courage to return home to fight and protect the Fatherland,” the Lieutenant General recalled.

There is one thing that he still remembers. It was when he had just studied for a few weeks, the Russian teacher asked Pham Tuan his birthday, because he was at a loss for words, he said January 1st. He thought that would be the end of the matter. Unexpectedly, on January 1st, the teacher came to class with a birthday card, standing in front of the class to congratulate student Pham Tuan.

The whole class was surprised because that day was not his birthday. He did not know how to explain, so he just told his friends that his Russian was not good enough so he had to say that.

In April 1968, Pham Tuan graduated and returned home. The day of farewell was very touching. The car picking up the group stopped right in front of the dining hall, the kitchen staff rushed out to see them off, tears in their eyes. Some were proud that the generation of Vietnamese pilots who had been trained were qualified to return home and contribute to the fight.

There was an old woman who hugged the men and said: The Vietnamese pilots are still too young, "It's very dangerous to go back and fight, stay here and get stronger first."

Teacher Doxuchep, the platoon leader who accompanied Pham Tuan, also came out to see him off. He hugged the young man Pham Tuan and reminded him: "Taking off to fight requires a 360-degree turn, Tuan - it is vital for a pilot to survive" (meaning he must observe his surroundings).

Pilot Pham Tuan (right) and astronaut Gorbatko received the decision to be the official flying pair.

Two pilots practice at the space center.

Lieutenant General Pham Tuan said that he later met that teacher many times. Once when he returned to the Academy for training, the teacher took Pham Tuan to meet friends everywhere, and everywhere he introduced himself: "That's my student."

During his business trips to Russia, whenever he had the chance, Lieutenant General Pham Tuan would visit his teacher at his home in Krasnodar. One time, before he left Krasnodar, his teacher came to the hotel with a jar of homemade mushrooms and a package of Russian sausages for Pham Tuan to bring back as gifts for his family.

During 10 years (1961-1972), the Soviet Union trained over 1,000 technical specialists for Vietnam, including 447 people trained as pilots, graduating 220 fighter pilots.

Most of the pilots sent had only finished 7th or 8th grade, a few had finished 10th grade. Except for determination, other factors were not as good as those of other countries that also sent students to the Soviet Union. However, with enthusiasm and special affection for Vietnam, the Soviet teachers devoted themselves to instructing, training, and helping young Vietnamese people gradually master the sky.

"FRIENDS" MAKE HISTORY

2025 will mark the 45th anniversary of the space flight of pilot Pham Tuan and Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Vassilyevich Gorbatko (July 23, 1980).

Lieutenant General Pham Tuan remembered Gherman Titov, the second cosmonaut of the Soviet Union. Gherman Titov was also the President of the Soviet-Vietnamese Friendship Association for many years, and made many contributions to the friendship between the two nations. Mr. Pham Tuan said that it was Mr. Titov who proposed that Vietnamese people fly into space.

“Uncle Ho really respected the astronaut. He met Titov many times. Mr. Titov also visited Vietnam many times and was personally taken by Uncle Ho to visit Ha Long Bay. Later, a small island in the middle of the bay was named Ti Top (after astronaut Titov),” said Hero Pham Tuan.

Astronaut Gorbatko and pilot Pham Tuan when they returned to Earth after their space flight. Photo: VNA

Lieutenant General Pham Tuan confided that he had kept in touch with his space-flying teammate before and invited Mr. Gorbatko and his wife to Vietnam almost every year for a vacation and travel. “From Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ninh Thuan, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Vung Tau… every summer when Gorbatko came here, I took him to visit famous places in Vietnam,” the Lieutenant General said.

In February 2017, despite his declining health, because of his love for the country and people of Vietnam, Viktor Gorbatko still went to Vietnam to attend the inauguration of a bust of himself in Phan Rang city, Ninh Thuan. That was also his last visit to Vietnam. Three months later, astronaut Gorbatko passed away at the age of 82.

With Russian President Putin, Lieutenant General Pham Tuan told about the first time he met him in person. It was Mr. Putin's first visit to Vietnam as President of Russia. From February 28 to March 2, 2001, Russian President Putin paid an official friendship visit to Vietnam, at the invitation of President Tran Duc Luong. The delegation at that time also included Mr. Viktor Gorbatko.

The schedule included a meeting with Vietnamese people who had studied in Russia at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace. The hall was packed with people, a large number of Vietnamese people who had studied in Russia, and upon returning to Vietnam, lived in many provinces and cities.

President Putin waves as he arrives at a meeting of Vietnamese people who studied in Russia in 2001. Kremlin.ru

Before entering the hall, in a room there was a table with a set of books about Vietnam-Russia relations for President Putin to sign.

“The President was very young, he sat at the table signing books, Gorbatko and I stood right behind. Then the President shook hands and congratulated me. There were so many people at that time, even now I feel regretful because I don’t know who took that moment,” Lieutenant General Pham Tuan recalled.

The first impression of the meeting, Mr. Pham Tuan said, was that Russian President Putin was very straightforward and comfortable when interacting with former international students. The feelings of those who attended that meeting were not those of a leader of a powerful country coming to the people of a country, but of close brotherly affection.

The traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Russia is an invaluable asset and a solid foundation for the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the current period. Lieutenant General Pham Tuan said that the relationship between the two countries is still on the rise, inheriting achievements from history.

He was also pleased to see that people-to-people exchanges between the two countries continue to grow, with Vietnam-Russia friendship associations established in many localities with a large number of members.

The article refers to the book Flying into Space: The Story of the Three-Time Heroic Space Pilot – Lieutenant General Pham Tuan by author Nguyen Cong Huy.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/trung-tuong-pham-tuan-voi-ky-niem-ve-tong-thong-putin-va-nhung-nguoi-ban-nga-2292262.html