2010. The opening of the monument to staff and students of MPEI, had built fortifications in 1941

In the first months of the great Patriotic war in the Smolensk region turned defensive battle. The enemy was advancing to Moscow. To defend the capital, formed a workers ' militia, the volunteers, are not subject to call, were directed to the construction of fortifications. More than a thousand students and teachers MEI went to the Smolensk region. First came some guys, girls are not taken because of the difficulty of the work. But after two weeks, 200 girls, who studied at the MEI, joined them. Young, beautiful, brave, they worked 10-14 hours a day. Under artillery shelling and attacks by enemy aircraft, dug trenches and antitank ditches, equipped firing position. Everyone contributed to the defense of the Motherland.

The war was over. But the residents of the village Prudki of Safonovo district have not forgotten the students and teachers. In 1979 on the banks of the Dnieper not far from the highway Moscow-Minsk was a small monument with the inscription: "Here, in 1941, built the fortifications of the students and professors of Moscow power engineering Institute". Every year a delegation from MPEI conducted a bike ride and took care of the monument.

In 2005 the rector of the MEI, in a letter addressed to pupils and teachers Prudkovskii rural schools Safonovsky district of Smolensk region with a proposal to restore the memorial sign.
The initiative of students and teachers was supported by the people in whose hearts the living memory of the feats of our fathers and grandfathers. The decision on creation of memorable installations was attended by the rector of MPEI Professor Serebryannikov Sergey Vladimirovich. The monument was built on donations of sponsors, the villagers also helped in the installation of the monument.

26 September 2010 was held the opening ceremony of the memorial stele to the students and lecturers of MEI, to erect fortifications in 1941. Led the memorial ceremony, the Deputy Governor of the Smolensk region Sergey Krivko Medinsky. Among the guests were: the delegation of the Moscow Energy Institute headed by the rector Professor Serebryannikova Sergei Vladimirovich-Director of Smolensk branch Boyarinov Gennady Ivanovich, as well as teachers and students of SF MEI, representatives of administrations of Smolensk region and the village Prudki, project sponsors, search teams "Horizon" (MEI) and "Energy" (SF MEI), vocal ensemble "Energy.ru" (SF MEI).
The challenge now is to restore the names of all who participated in the construction of fortifications in 1941. This research is being carried out, examine the archives.

The bright memory of all defenders of our Motherland!