Victory Day

Unlike the rest of the world, Victory day in Russia is celebrated on May, 9th, as Russia was still fighting the ennemy when peace was declared in Europe (+different timezones). Commonly called WWII, in Russia however this war is more often referred to as the Great Patriotic War (Великая отечественная война, Velíkaya Otéchestvennaya voyná). In Russian, the term отечественная война originally referred to a war on one's own territory (otechestvo= inside the fatherland), as opposed to a campaign abroad (заграничная война), and later was reinterpreted as a war for the fatherland, i.e. a defensive war for one's homeland. This is why for Russians, this term refers to the war between the Soviet Union and the Nazis, it does not include the Allies (Europe and the USA) like the term WWII does.

A military parade and fireworks are traditionally held in every city in Russia and the former USSR republics. In Moscow, the military parade takes place on Red Square and only veterans and political figures can attend it.

 

 

View from St Basil balcony

 

Soldiers holding flags of each front (from the back to the front): Ukrainian front, Belorussian front, Leningrad front, Baltic front.

 

One of the tanks during the parade on Red Square (8 wheels long!) 

The celebration of veterans on that day is very important and they receive a lot of attention, gifts, thanks and flowers from everyone on the street. People simply buy flowers in case they meet a veteran on their way that day. The contrast with how the West (USA and Europe) celebrate May, 8th is chocking. Actually, Russians celebrate their veterans much more than they celebrate the end of the war. All the attention is on them all day long, which I found more logical and respectful.

 Archive from the Victory Day parade on Red Square (Lenin's Mausoleum in the background)

May, 9th 1945

 

For the 2013 Victory Day, Russian news agency RIA Novosti organized a diaporama of photos showing the capital city during WWII and today. Here soldiers marching to war, December 1941.

Muscovites taking refuge in the metro. Moscow metro was built very deep to serve as bunker in times of war. One of the stations was Stalin's shelter, from where he sent his commands.