Soviet and Russian flags side by side
Moscow – May 9 - Today Russians observed solemn Victory Day celebrations. This is a day which is hard for many Russian families to forget; my dad’s family alone lost nine men and two women in World War II. The Soviet Union claimed that 27 million men and women died during the war, but some historians believe even more Soviet citizens were killed as a result of famine, combat, and mass deportation between 1941-45.
Now that the Soviet Union is gone, there are no more parades with tanks and missiles rolling down Red Square while the leaders watch from boxes as the nation flexes its military muscles. The parade today consisted of a somber march of honor guard army units, carrying flags, symbols and rifles of the victorious Red Army units.
May 9 is one of the best days to visit Moscow – everything is shut down for pedestrians, there’s no crime, and no bitterness – even police officers are singing war songs along with the veterans. Today was for Russian patriots, not for thousands of marching communists and young thugs waving fascist flags. Many female veterans couldn't walk a 100 yards without strangers handing them flowers in gratitude. The entire megapolis turns into a surreal version of heaven. Two hundred thousand Muscovites participated in the celebration, which ended with fireworks shot into the air 30 times from a hundred weapons - just like back in 1945.
View more photos from Vesti.ru in our extended post
Putin addresses veterans
Defense minister Ivanov greeting the troops
Comments
I don't believe that this day is really that memorable and joyful in our days as it was 60 years ago. Reason? Look at the tide of fashism arising on the Russian horizon. I have two grandfathers, who fought in WWII, and they both admit with the tears on their eyes that they never thought that a country that went through hell to win the war with the Nazis would eventually get infected with a disastorous fashism virus. The situation has trully gotten critical and must be taken care of from the Federal level starting immediately, if Russia is to avoid becoming a second Nazi Germany!
Posted by: Andrey | May 14, 2006 8:08 PM
A bit alarmist Andrey as most Russians aren't fascist.
Posted by: Michael Averko | May 21, 2006 10:44 AM
It is actually NOT the Soviet flag, but specially stylized flag resembling Soviet flag (or more exactly it is an exaggerated replica of the improvised flag that flew over Reichstag).
On the other hand the Russian Tricolor is the flag of Russians (the Variag or Warangian brigade and of Vlasov's army) who fought alongside Hitler in defense of Europe (or at least that’s view of quite many people now and then. For example that’s what Ivan Bunin, the Noble price winner, thought when he initially supported Htler. It is ironic that Russia, not Soviet Union, celebrates the fall of Reichstag with flag of its defenders (approaches to Reichstag and Unter den Linden had Russian troops while Reichstag itself was defended by members of the French Charlemagne unit. There were almost no Germans there). Many smarter Communists would never miss an opportunity to mention the fact (about what side Russian Tricolor was on).
The photo is reflective of the hodgepodge of symbols in today’s Russia and that it is unable to talk frankly and openly about its Soviet past. The current Nazi or fascist witch hunt (the very word fascist got so deflated that it lost any meaning – in English as well as in Russian and for that matter in modern German) is illustrative of how authorities would be the world war’s heritage (which they usurped) and emotional catchphrases to fight most active and ultimately legitimate opposition on the extreme right (and extreme left) of nation’s politics.
Posted by: Roobit | May 21, 2006 2:38 PM
Roobit
Ukrainian Nazi supporters used the Tryzub as a symbol as well. The tryzub is an ancient Russian symbol when Kiev was the capital of the ruling monarchs (the Riuriks, who later moved the capital north). The Croat Ustashe used a traditional Croat red and white checkerboard symbol as their own.
It's not fair to denigrate a long standing national symbol on the basis of a fringe group adopting it.
The Russian tri-color goes back centuries as Russia's flag.
The Vlasov Army was always nominally allied to Germany and didn't do much if any fighting against the Soviets. The Vlasov Army was very much involved with the liberation of Prague from Nazi rule.
I reference my recent RB article on this matter. At the end of that article, there's also a discussion touching on the Vlasov Army:
http://www.russiablog.org/2006/04/yuschenkos_wife_and_the_ugly_h.html#more
Posted by: Michael Averko | May 21, 2006 10:56 PM
here is a photo i took on the same day at the morning march in saint petersburgh: http://www.nar9000.com/res.images/russian_march.full.jpg
Posted by: nar9000 | July 12, 2006 9:32 PM
f*** you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: kevin | February 3, 2007 11:41 PM
i have to do a report on Victory Day.
Posted by: Andrew | December 12, 2007 5:34 AM
For the Record: Ivan Bunin NEVER supported Hitler. Indeed, he suffered great hardships in occuppied France when he stopped publishing (his only means of earning an income) in order to demonstrate his absolute opposition to the facist occupation. While a critic of Soviet power, he was unwavering in his opposition to facist Germany (unlike some other Russian emigres living in Paris at the time). He would be horrified to see M. Averko's claim from that he "initially suported Hitler." This statement is incorrect, and for Bunin's sake, should be retracted.
Posted by: Graham Hettlinger | June 13, 2008 9:02 AM
Victory Day in May 9 is very common action which united any people of any nation in multination country of Russia. Too much people were death for freedom... Too much... Over 20 million..... This fact must take first place in any discussions about a role of WWII and it's results. I personally lost both grandpa in this war... never saw then, just photo...
Posted by: alex | May 9, 2009 5:27 AM
Its realy great to see the Russian military might.Great Russia should stand up to counter the growing interference of USA in the affairs of other nations.I as a Srilankan salute the great nation and its people for standing by Srilanka at all the times
Posted by: S.Muthumala | May 9, 2009 9:37 PM