Russians celebrate defeat of Nazi Germany

Today is Victory Day in Russia. The celebration marks the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War 2. The Great Patriotic War, as it is known in Russia, has played a defining role in shaping national consciousness. The Russian sacrifice in that conflict was extraordinary in its scale.

Russia will celebrate Nazi surrender with parades, concerts, fireworks and military events, throughout the country. Although, with ironic untimeliness, the BBC reports that the huge Motherland statue in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) which commemorates the city’s pivotal role in the war, is suffering serious subsidence.

According to the Moscow Times, spectators in Russia’s capital will watch events drenched in sun and enjoying temperatures of 22C. Which, looking outside, makes me a little jealous. The photograph shows the eternal flame memorial which sits at the wall of the Kremlin in Moscow.

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