Russia has celebrated Victory Day, one of the important day in the country. 77 years after World war II it still remains a glorious day for Russia.

May 9 is a special day in the history for Russians and a great amount of attention is paid to the cultures as well. For Russians, Victory Day is literally a celebration of victory over death. The Soviet Union lost more than 27 million people during the war. The Nazis had waged war with utmost brutality against the Jews. But the Soviet Union ended the war, saving the civilians from the atrocity and brutality of Hitler. Russians term World War II the ‘The Great Patriotic War’. It is the saga of heroic epic where heroes in the name of soldiers fought valiantly.

The memory of the war has influenced many aspects of life in Russia. Some of the facts to know about Victory Day to pay respect to the day and also to the Russian culture.

What is Russia’s Victory Day?

parade in Red Square

The day celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. It includes military parades in Moscow and more than two dozen Russian cities. Ukraine’s Intelligence service has claimed that Russia is planning a victory parade in Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russia.

What Happens on the Day?

parade at Red Square in 1945

After months of tight rehearsals, where military vehicles keep Moscovites awake until the early hours. Nearly 14,000 troops, hundreds of military vehicles, and aircraft pass through Moscow’s Red Square. Several speeches by Vladimir Putin about the war follow.   

Historical Significance of the Parade

historical day of Victory day

The parade was founded in 1945 to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII. The parade not only commemorates the end of the war but also represents Russia’s defeat over Nazism. As the war was a ‘near-death experience’ for the Soviet Union, the parade marks the deliverance- and so endurance- of Russia’. He said with Putin positioning Russia as a continuation of the USSR, the parade “gives legitimacy to the current leadership”.

Why is this year’s Parade particularly significant?

Significant parade of 2022 in Red Square

This year’s parade is significant, particularly because Putin will likely try to win the confidence of people in the military. He expects the parade to be more militaristic and the speeches more assertive than ever before. Putin very well understands the difficult position he is with Ukraine. Also, reassure the Russian people their massive military machine will not lose. This marks the significance of the importance of this year’s parade.

     As the Ukraine war has grown harder for Russia, so has Putin’s rhetoric escalated. After claiming Russia is “denazifying” Ukraine, Putin now claims that Russia is fighting a European Nazism backed by American imperialists. This has become the ‘Great Patriotic War 2.0’, where the country is fighting for its survival. Thus, more than celebrating Victory Day, it has become the parade and Day to mark and rise the national feeling in Russia for the ongoing Ukraine war.