Explainer | Why May 9 ‘Victory Day’ in Russia is different this year
- Festivities are held in Russia on May 9 every year to mark the Soviet Union’s 1945 victory over Nazi Germany in World War II
- Some observers believe that Vladimir Putin could use the holiday to finally declare Russia’s operation in Ukraine a ‘war’
The invasion of Ukraine means that fewer Russian tanks and other military hardware will rumble through Moscow’s Red Square on Monday, when the country marks its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The patriotic fervour associated with the sacred holiday, however, could be as strong as ever.
This year’s Victory Day won’t just honour a conflict that ended 77 years ago. Many Russians will be thinking about the thousands of troops fighting in neighbouring Ukraine.
Signs of support for the military have grown across the country since the invasion began February 24, with the letter “Z” appearing on billboards and signs in the streets and subways, and on television and social media.
The Kremlin has refused to refer to the fighting in Ukraine as a “war”, instead calling it a “special military operation”, Some observers believe that President Vladimir Putin could use the holiday to finally declare the operation to be a war in order to bolster Russia’s national commitment to the effort.
A look at the significance of Victory Day in Russia:
War and remembrance