Opinion: Stolen Victory Day
Putin and Victory Day
Despite the ongoing bloody war in Ukraine, this year, Russia celebrates May 9, the Day of Victory over fascism with a military parade.
This date is the main state holiday of Russia, which has long turned into a personal brand of President Vladimir Putin.
However, those who caught a glimpse of the Soviet era, even if only in their childhood, remember well that May 9 at that time was a rather modest holiday – veterans were congratulated, children prepared performances at the Eternal Flame, and solemn programs were broadcast on television.
Back then, the Second World War, or as it was called in the USSR, the Great Patriotic War, surrounded us literally all the time – films about the war were broadcast on television almost every day, as well as television programs, there were plenty of books about it and almost all the older generation were living veterans and witnesses of the war.
In children’s war games, we were always divided into “ours” and “Germans”. The war that ended decades ago was then part of the surrounding reality.
But there was no such vulgarity that overtakes Russia every year before May 9th.
There were no stickers on the cars “To Berlin”, there were no baby strollers and slippers in the form of tanks, cashiers and controllers did not put on caps, no one tied ribbons to all parts of the body.
There were no military parades that day (military parades in the USSR were held on the anniversary of the October Revolution on November 7).
There was no absurd and at the same time criminal slogan “We can do it again” (instead of “Never again”).
What is there to repeat? The death of tens of millions? Cities destroyed to the foundation? The answer to this question was received on February 24, 2022 – yes, that’s right.
The beginning of a new large-scale aggressive war of Russia against a neighboring state was largely made possible thanks to the militaristic propaganda of the Russian regime, in which the pompous celebration of May 9 played a huge role.
The Day of Remembrance, Pride, and Gratitude to the Heroes under Vladimir Putin gradually turned into both a fun carnival and a day of ostentatious demonstration of military power.
And the war, instead of the tragedy of millions of people, began to be presented to the audience as a fun adventure and a cool action movie.
Why, under Putin, May 9 was chosen as the main holiday of the Russian state – the day of the war, which ended more than half a century ago? Given that the further the war and the fewer living veterans, the greater the scope?
Why Russia, like other countries, did not make Independence Day, for example, its holiday? Day of Russia, June 12 – the date of the adoption of the declaration of sovereignty of the RSFSR, which laid the foundation for Russia as a state independent of the USSR, is celebrated today modestly and imperceptibly.
France, for example, celebrates Bastille Day – the day when the people gained freedom.
But Russia did not find such a date. The values of freedom and independence are not at all what the Kremlin would like to propagate among its citizens.
Instead of appreciating the newfound freedom – to do business, travel around the world, etc., propaganda for a long time instilled in society the bitterness of defeat from the collapse of the USSR and resentment at the insidious West, which arranged this collapse.
In addition, the victory over fascism is the only event in the history of the USSR / Russia that does not cause controversy and is unambiguously interpreted as a victory over evil.
The current regime has not come up with anything better for its legitimation than declaring this event almost a personal merit of Putin.
Accordingly, the conclusion follows from here – if we defeated fascism, then by default we cannot be wrong.
Victory Day is convenient for the Kremlin as another reason to oppose the West. Propaganda hints that Nazi Germany in 1945 personified the entire West, Western civilization, initially hostile to Russia.
It’s convenient when you can stick the label of a fascist and a Nazi on anyone you don’t like for no reason at all. And the people, proud of having defeated fascism, will sincerely hate it.
Today, a significant part of Russian society believes that their country is doing the right thing when it bombs the cities of Ukraine, and kills Ukrainian soldiers and civilians because it is at war with “Nazism”. Despite the absolute absurdity of this accusation.
And, most importantly, why was the militaristic psychosis escalated every year? The population of Russia had to be ready for a new big war. Now we know that Putin and his regime considered it inevitable and were moving towards it for a long time.
For the sake of this, the Day of Victory over Fascism was stolen from veterans, from the then Western allies of the USSR, from the former Soviet republics, and from people who sincerely honor the feat of the victors of fascism.
