Russia’s President Vladimir Putin commemorated Victory Day on Saturday, the anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi German in World War II, with a more discreet ceremony than the traditional military parade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Putin laid flowers at the grave of the unknown soldier outside the Kremlin walls and gave a short speech honoring the courage and suffering of the Soviet army during the war.
Victory Day is Russia’s most important lay holiday and this year was expected to be a special one as it was the 75th anniversary. But the Red Square military parade and the massive procession called the Immortal Regiment were postponed as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.
The only remnant of the traditional display of military might was the 75 military planes and helicopters that flew over the capital, Moscow.
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The ceremony was Putin’s first public appearance in about a month, who has teleworked since the start of the crisis.
In his speech he made no mention of the virus – Russia has nearly 200,000 confirmed infections – or how its spread had limited the celebration of what was a prestigious project for him.
But he promised that the commemorations will take place.
“As always, we will solemnly and comprehensively celebrate the anniversary date, we will do so with dignity, as our duty to those who have suffered and achieved victory tells us,” he declared. “We will have our main parade in Red Square, and the march of the Immortal Regiment, the march of our grateful memory and of the inextricable and vital communication of generations.”
The drastic reduction in acts left a gap in Russia’s civic and emotional calendar. The war, in which the former Soviet Union lost approximately 26 million people, including 8.5 million soldiers, has become a cornerstone of Russia’s national identity.
Immortal Regiment processions moved online Saturday and many were expected to display pictures of family members from their balconies and windows at night.
Minsk, the capital of Belarus, did have a full military parade on Saturday. The country has not imposed restrictions against coronavirus despite the increase in infections.
In the final acts of Victory Day in Western Europe, where it is celebrated the day before, Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate lit up on Friday night.
The word “Thank you” was projected onto the monument in Russian, English, French and German on a blue background.
Earlier in the day, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier described May 8 as the day that Germany, too, was “liberated” from the Nazi dictatorship.
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