This year, Russia is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its victory in the Great Patriotic War. Only 7,000 veterans of the war are still alive, and none of them should be neglected, Defense Minister Andrei Beloussow stated during a meeting of the Committee for the Organization of Victory Celebrations on Wednesday. “It is extremely important to show them special attention and ensure that no one is left behind” Beloussow emphasized.
According to the minister, the veterans will traditionally occupy the honor places on the tribunes during the May 9 parade. Those who, due to health reasons, cannot participate in the celebrations will be visited and congratulated by government representatives at home or in care facilities.
Beloussow announced that victory parades will take place in Moscow and 27 other cities in Russia. The Moscow parade has invited military personnel from 19 friendly states, with ten having already confirmed their attendance. In addition, soldiers currently fighting in Ukraine will also march in the parade. Several of them had participated in the parade on Red Square for the first time last year.
During the meeting, Beloussow suggested introducing a course on the participants of the Great Patriotic War at schools and involving students and schoolchildren in search and commemorative actions. The minister also announced that expeditions are planned for this year to find unknown war graves and unburied remains of the defenders of the fatherland.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Wednesday, authorizing one-time payments to the still-living war veterans, ranging from 55,000 to 80,000 rubles (approximately 550 to 800 euros), which will be made between April and May. Putin called on state organizations to approach the upcoming celebrations with “scrupulousness.” “Formalism and a competition for numbers are absolutely unacceptable. Commemorations are primarily concrete actions” he emphasized.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitri Peskow said that the number of state leaders and high-ranking officials invited to the Moscow parade would be comparable to that of the recent BRICS summit in Kazan. The invited heads of state include those of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, including Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Last month, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that he would travel to Russia with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to celebrate the victory over the Third Reich.