November 30, 2012. Uralvagonzavod Scientific & Production Corporation initiated the All-Russian Scientific & Practical Conference on the History, Historiography, Resources, and Museum Exhibitions on 20th Century Tank-Building. The conference will take place in Nizhniy Tagil on April 2-5, 2013. The event is also coordinated by S.I. Vavilov Natural Science & Technology History Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Culture Ministry’s Polytechnic Museum, the Corporation’s press officer reports.

The conference is to become a major event not only for the domestic tank-construction industry but also for the entire Russian machine-building sector. The choice of venue is by no means a coincidence: Nizhniy Tagil is the home of Uralvagonzavod Corporation’s head plant, which was the major enterprise to supply the front with the legendary T-34 tanks in during the war years. To this day, the enterprise produces the world’s best tanks. Uralvagonzavod is currently Russia’s only manufacturer of heavy-duty combat vehicles. UVZ brand now unites well-known designers of the most innovational and promising ammunition, and the corporation is currently working on setting up a national-scale research and educational center (Tank Industry Museum) in Nizhniy Tagil.

Well, this project will probably be implemented in 2020, by the time the Russian tank-building industry celebrates its 100th anniversary. For the time being, the scholarly community has taken a great interest in Uralvagonzavod’s plans to coordinate a conference dedicated to the history of Russian tanks. About 40 applications to take part in the event have already been supplied by major researches, war historians, and reputed long-service journalists.