Celebrated on May 9th. Victory Day in Russia: history and traditions of the holiday

22.09.2023

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Victory Day in Russia: history and traditions of the holiday

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It is one of the most important and solemn holidays on the vast territory of our country. Victory Day in Russia is traditionally celebrated on May 9 and gathers hundreds of thousands of people proud of the exploits of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who, at the cost of their lives, were able to make our Motherland free from Nazi rule.

The history of Victory Day

Starting on June 22, 1941, the Great Patriotic War lasted 4 years. Despite the enormous losses and devastation, the Soviet people were still able to win this protracted and bloody war. Victory Day of the Russian Army is a reminder of the hard work this victory cost and pays honor to the dead and living heroes of this terrible war. The final effort that led to the final victory was made in the capture of Berlin.

History says that the decisive offensive of the Soviet troops began in January 45, it was then that the army began to advance through the territory of Poland and Prussia. Although the fascist leader Hitler committed suicide on April 20, 1945, this did not stop the war, but led to fierce resistance from the remnants of the enemy troops. Succumbing to the propaganda that the Russians had come to take revenge, the German soldiers defended themselves to the last drop of blood.

Soviet and allied troops encountered the most stubborn resistance during the capture of Berlin. This battle became one of the bloodiest in all the years of the war. The German capital capitulated only after losses on both sides amounted to several hundred thousand. Victory Day of Russian soldiers is a tribute to the respect and memory of the soldiers who fell in that last battle. On the afternoon of May 7, 1945, Nazi Germany signed its surrender.

History says that in the Battle of Berlin alone, the Soviet army lost more than 325 thousand soldiers and officers. According to rough estimates, for each of the days that brought our people closer to Victory Day, we had to pay a high price (about 15,000 killed soldiers per day). In total, 2.5 million soldiers took part in the operation to capture Berlin.

Many beautiful words have been said about Victory Day, but not everyone knows that fascist troops fought for every Berlin street to the last. The narrow passages between the houses did not allow using all the advantages of aviation and tank equipment, so combat losses were enormous.

During the several weeks of the assault on Berlin, Soviet troops lost almost 2,000 tanks, about 2,000 guns and approximately 900 aircraft. Many participants in these events still remember those bloody days with trembling. Although the losses of the Soviet troops were enormous, the Nazis lost much more. About 500 thousand prisoners were captured alone, and a total of 92 enemy divisions were defeated.

Human losses during the Second World War among the Soviet population

During the war years, the USSR lost about 26.6 million inhabitants. This number included not only soldiers, but all residents who died in one way or another as a result of the long years of war. Men died the most during World War II—about 20 million. People who were taken out or left the Soviet Union during the war and did not return there after its end are also included in the total number of victims.

Why Victory Day is held on May 9

Despite the fact that the German surrender was signed on May 7, history tells that Stalin did not recognize it, since General Susloparov, who signed this document, did not have the authority of the Kremlin. At the request of Stalin, Field Marshal Keitel created a new act, which was signed on May 9 at 00:43 hours. Due to the time difference with Europe, this holiday is celebrated there on May 8th.

By decree of the Supreme Council signed by Kalinin, all events to celebrate Victory Day were scheduled for May 9. This day was declared a public holiday and a day off. In the morning at 6 o'clock this decree was brought to the attention of the Soviet people by radio. Preparations for the Victory Day holiday began immediately. Late in the evening, a grandiose festive fireworks display was held - 30 salvos from a thousand guns, which became the largest in the entire history of the USSR.

Although Victory Day was held on May 9, 1945, the military parade took place on June 24. During the parade, combat regiments from all fronts led by commanders and Heroes of the Soviet Union marched across Red Square. At the end of the parade, 200 banners of Nazi Germany were brought to the Mausoleum and thrown.

The following year, the parade was moved to May 9, as it was on this day that Germany signed its surrender. However, already in 1947, the USSR government decided to cancel the May 9 holiday, and decided not to hold parades at all. This decision was dictated by the fact that the people are tired of the war and want to forget the difficult war years, and the military parade only reopens old wounds.

12 years passed after Stalin's death, when the USSR government decided to resume the Victory Day holiday. In 1965 (May 9), Victory Day was again recognized as a public holiday and a day off. Along with the holiday, the tradition of holding annual military parades was also restored.

After the collapse of the USSR, Victory Day was not celebrated in Russia until 1995. On May 9, 1995, the holiday was restored again, and this year there were two military parades, one traditional on foot, and the second with the participation of armored vehicles.

Victory Day and its significance for Russia

In order for us to celebrate Victory Day, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers gave their lives. In Russia, this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale and is one of the most important public holidays. Despite the difficult 90s, people always remembered this bright and joyful holiday and celebrated it every year even in a narrow family circle. Every resident of Russia has an ancestor who took up arms in defense of his country from the terrible threat hanging over it and was able to snatch victory from the tenacious clutches of fascism.

Those who during the war, due to health reasons, could not participate in hostilities, selflessly worked in the defense industry, supplying the front with everything necessary. Most of the workers were drafted to the front during the war, so teenagers and women took their places. Largely thanks to their heroic efforts, the great victory of the Soviet people over the German occupiers became possible. Despite the hunger and devastation, these people with all their might brought the hour of victory closer, losing their health and sometimes their lives.

How is Victory Day celebrated in Russia now?

Traditionally, festive events are held on Victory Day:

Traditional rallies and demonstrations are organized;
Flowers and wreaths are laid at the foot of the monuments;
Festive congratulations are being held for veterans of the Great Patriotic War;

Despite the fact that this holiday is not characterized by a lot of noisy fun and festivities, its significance lies in the fact that people remember and respect their fallen heroes. The younger generation, having seen newsreels of the war years, begins to understand what a great mission their ancestors were able to accomplish, and sincere front-line songs make them think about the difficult years of the war.

Although more than 70 years have passed since the first festive fireworks thundered on May 9, Victory Day is still a sacred holiday for every resident of the CIS, because the entire people rose up to defend the Motherland from the invader and many families lost one or more of their members.

The main attribute of Victory Day

One of the honorable traditions dedicated to Victory Day is the carrying of the red banner. This tradition began in 1965, when Victory Day was returned to the status of a public holiday. This banner was exactly the flag that was hung over the Reichstag.

The history of this banner is quite interesting. Despite the popular belief that this banner was first displayed at a military parade in 1945, this is not the case. Due to the wounds of the standard bearer and insufficient combat training of other applicants for carrying out the banner, Marshal Zhukov was forced to cancel the ceremonial removal of the banner.

The original banner was first displayed at the 1965 parade, after which it was placed in a museum, and its place was taken by a complete copy, which was carried out over the following years. The original banner is still kept in the Museum of the Armed Forces.

Heroes - winners of the Great Patriotic War

Time inexorably ticks down year after year, and every spring fewer and fewer veterans of the Great Patriotic War come to Victory Day. Now no more than 2 percent of the heroes who were able to return alive from the war are alive. Despite front-line wounds and illnesses, surviving veterans still gather for the holiday. They gather together, quietly remembering their fallen comrades and the difficult years at the front.

The heroes of the Great Patriotic War should be treated with special respect, remembering that it is thanks to their efforts that we, their descendants, can enjoy freedom.

Veterans visit monuments dedicated to the victory in the Second World War and the memory of fallen heroes, travel to places of military glory, and visit places that are memorable to them. We must remember that very little time will pass and there will be no living participants in that terrible war left at all.

The main monuments dedicated to front-line soldiers

In the vastness of Russia and the CIS there are a large number of monuments and memorials that were erected over seven decades. Let's try to list the most famous of them:

Poklonnaya Mountain. This park is a memorial complex that perpetuates the memory of the fallen Heroes of the Great Patriotic War. He is located in Moscow. Poklonnaya Mount has been known since ancient times; travelers who wanted to view Moscow from above and worship its churches stopped there. This is where the name “Poklonnaya Gora” comes from. Victory Park on this mountain was founded back in 1958, but the completion of construction and opening of the complex occurred only in 1995;
Mamaev kurgan. On the mound in Volgograd, which has been known since the time of the Mongol invasion, bloody battles for Stalingrad took place in 1942-1943. Today, on the mound there are several mass graves and a monument “The Motherland Calls!” This complex is applying for inclusion in the UNESCO list;
In Novosibirsk there is a memorial complex called “Heroes Square”. What makes it special is that it is a park with many trees and flowers. There is an extensive memorial complex on Heroes Square. In 1958, an eternal flame was lit on the square, which still burns to this day;
The Alley of Heroes in St. Petersburg is part of Moscow's Victory Park. Its peculiarity is the composition of busts of twice Heroes of the Soviet Union, who were residents of Leningrad. In the center of the composition is a monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, which was erected at the request of WWII veterans for the 50th anniversary of Victory Day;
The Eternal Flame of Glory is a memorial located in Veliky Novgorod. It was built on the site of two mass graves, one of which dates back to 1944. 19 dead soldiers of the 59th Army are buried there. This memorial is notable for the fact that from 1975 to 1986 a guard of schoolchildren stood near the eternal flame. The duty changed every 15 minutes and lasted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In 1986, this guard was abolished;
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located in Moscow, near the walls of the Kremlin. This memorial is a bronze composition of a soldier’s helmet and laurel branches, which lie on the banner. In the center of the memorial there is a niche with the inscription “Your name is unknown, your feat is immortal.”

In addition to the listed memorials and parks, there are thousands of monuments throughout the country that remind people of the heroes of the Second World War.

Victory Day is a holiday dedicated to all those who died, fought and worked in the rear, who through their heroic efforts were able to bring this bright day closer.

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Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War is celebrated in Russia on May 9 as a national holiday dedicated to the struggle of the Soviet people for the freedom and independence of their Motherland against Nazi Germany and its allies.

The Great Patriotic War: the beginning

The most important and decisive part of the Second World War is the Great Patriotic War. The treacherous attack of Nazi Germany began at dawn on June 22, 1941. Violating Soviet-German treaties, Hitler's troops invaded the territory of the Soviet Union.

Romania and Italy took the side of Germany, and were later joined by Slovakia, Finland, Hungary and Norway.

The war lasted almost four years and became the largest armed conflict in human history. On the front, stretching from the Barents to the Black Sea, from 8 million to 13 million people fought simultaneously on both sides in different periods, from 6 thousand to 20 thousand tanks and assault guns, from 85 thousand to 165 thousand guns and mortars, from 7 thousand to 19 thousand aircraft.

Already at the very beginning, the plan for a lightning war, during which the German command planned to capture the entire Soviet Union in a few months, failed. The persistent defense of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Kyiv, Odessa, Sevastopol, and the Battle of Smolensk contributed to the disruption of Hitler’s plan for a lightning war.

The Great Break

The country survived, the course of events turned. Soviet soldiers defeated fascist troops near Moscow, Stalingrad (now Volgograd) and Leningrad, in the Caucasus, and inflicted crushing blows on the enemy in the Kursk Bulge, Right Bank Ukraine and Belarus, in the Iasi-Kishinev, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.

Over the course of almost four years of war, the Armed Forces of the USSR defeated 607 divisions of the fascist bloc. On the Eastern Front, German troops and their allies lost more than 8.6 million people. More than 75% of all enemy weapons and military equipment were captured and destroyed.

The Patriotic War, which was a tragedy in almost every Soviet family, ended in victory for the USSR. The act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed in the suburbs of Berlin on May 8, 1945 at 22.43 Central European time (Moscow time on May 9 at 0.43). It is because of this time difference that the Day of the end of World War II in Europe is celebrated on May 8, and in the USSR and then in Russia - on May 9.

9th May

In the USSR, May 9 was declared Victory Day over Nazi Germany by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the day of surrender. The document declared May 9 a non-working day.

On May 9, folk festivals and crowded rallies took place everywhere. Amateur groups, popular theater and film artists, and orchestras performed in the squares and parks of cities and villages. At 21:00, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Joseph Stalin addressed the Soviet people. At 22:00 a salute was fired with 30 artillery salvoes from 1,000 guns. After the fireworks, dozens of planes dropped garlands of multi-colored rockets over Moscow, and numerous sparklers flashed in the squares.

During the Soviet period, parades on Red Square in Moscow occurred only three times.

On May 9, 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, an anniversary parade of war participants and wartime home front workers with units of the Moscow garrison was held on Red Square, which, according to its organizers, reproduced the first historical parade. The Victory Banner was carried across the square.

Since then, parades on Red Square have been held annually, so far without military equipment, then it appeared.

According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, on May 9, when laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, holding ceremonial meetings, military parades and processions of Great Patriotic War veterans on Red Square in Moscow, along with the State Flag of the Russian Federation, the Victory Banner hoisted above the Reichstag is carried out.

St. George Ribbon

Since 2005, a few days before May 9, the patriotic event “St. George’s Ribbon” starts. For millions of people not only in Russia, but also abroad, the St. George ribbon is a symbol of memory, connection between generations and military glory. A decade later, the action became the largest in the entire history of the project. It united 85 regions of the Russian Federation and 76 countries. In addition to the CIS countries, Germany, Great Britain, France, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Czech Republic, Spain, Finland and other European countries, the USA, Canada, Argentina, China, Israel, and Vietnam are taking part in the event. African countries also joined the action: Morocco, Congo, South Africa, Tanzania and others.

Victory Day: celebration traditions

According to established tradition, veterans’ meetings, ceremonial events and concerts are held on Victory Day. Wreaths and flowers are laid at monuments of military glory, memorials, and mass graves, and guards of honor are displayed. Memorial services are held in churches and temples in Russia. On May 9, radio and television are conducting a special commemorative and mourning broadcast, “A Minute of Silence.”

Procession of the Regional Patriotic Public Organization "Immortal Regiment Moscow" along Red Square

In 2018, to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, military parades will be held in dozens of cities in Russia and other countries of the world.

On May 9, a public event in memory of the “Immortal Regiment” will also take place, which is a march during which people carry photographs of their relatives who participated in the Great Patriotic War.

After long and bloody battles, on May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany was signed. The Soviet Union won this war. Having accepted the surrender of Germany, the USSR did not sign a peace agreement with it and remained in a state of war for some time. Documentedly, the war with Germany ended only on January 21, 1955, after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR made such a decision. And yet we perceive the Great Patriotic War as a war that lasted until May 9, 1945.

About 2.5 million soldiers were involved in the war with Germany. The losses suffered by the Soviet Union were simply enormous; according to some sources, our army lost up to fifteen thousand people per day. About 325 thousand soldiers and officers died in this war.

The use of tanks in urban areas did not give them room for wide maneuvers, which was very convenient for German anti-tank weapons; in just a few weeks, 1,997 tanks, 2,108 guns and 917 aircraft were lost in the Berlin operation.

But the losses did not affect the course of events; Soviet troops still defeated the enemies, capturing approximately 480 thousand people and destroying 70 enemy infantry, 11 motorized and 12 tank divisions.

On May 9, 1945, a plane landed on Red Square, which delivered the Act of Surrender of Germany. And already on June 24, the first Victory Parade took place, which was hosted by Marshal Zhukov and commanded by Konstantin Rokossovsky. Regiments of the Belarusian, Leningrad, Karelian, and Ukrainian fronts, as well as a combined regiment of the Navy, marched along Red Square. Ahead of everyone were the commanders of these regiments, Heroes of the Soviet Union, who carried the flags and banners of the units that distinguished themselves in the war. At the end of the parade, 200 banners of defeated Germany were carried and dropped at the Lenin Mausoleum.

The first Victory Day was celebrated in a way that, probably, very few holidays were celebrated in the history of the USSR and Russia. People on the streets congratulated each other, hugged, kissed and cried. On May 9, in the evening, the Victory Salute was given in Moscow, the largest in the history of the USSR: thirty salvos were fired from a thousand guns.

Stalin signed a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR that May 9 becomes a public holiday, Victory Day, and is declared a day off. At 6 o'clock in the morning Moscow time, this Decree was read out on the radio by announcer Levitan.

However, May 9th was a public holiday for only three years. In 1948, it was ordered to forget about the war and devote all efforts to restoring the national economy destroyed by the war. And only in 1965, already during the Brezhnev era, the holiday was again given its due. May 9 became a day off again, Parades, large-scale fireworks in all cities - Heroes and honoring of veterans - resumed.

Abroad, Victory Day is celebrated on May 9 and 8. This is due to the fact that the act of surrender was signed according to Central European time on May 8, 1945 at 22:43. When in Moscow, with its two-hour time difference, May 9 had already arrived. War-torn Europe also celebrated Victory Day sincerely and publicly. On May 9, 1945, in almost all European cities, people congratulated each other and the winning soldiers.

In London, the center of celebrations was Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. People were congratulated by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Winston Churchill gave a speech from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. In the USA, there are two Victory Days: V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) and V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day). Americans celebrated both of these Victory Days in 1945 on a grand scale, honoring their veterans and remembering President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who did so much for the Victory and did not live to see it less than a month (he died on April 12, 1945).

On this holiday, you should definitely congratulate all the veterans you know, because it was thanks to them that many of us were born. It is not known what would have happened to our country if we had not won. Victory Day means spring, which means a sea of flowers. You should definitely give your grandparents, who fought for calm and peace in our country, a bouquet of flowers. You can add anything else to the flowers that you deem necessary - be it books, dishes or a souvenir, the most important thing is that you will pay attention to your relatives who once fought for the honor of the country.

Another date for the victory holiday is September 3, the day when militarized Japan was defeated. There is a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, dated September 2, 1945, that September 3 is also declared a non-working holiday.

Thus, it turns out that Victory Day was celebrated twice a year three times - in 1945, 1946 and 1947.

The celebration of Victory Day was canceled on December 24, 1947, when a new resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the CCCP was issued:

Then they constantly postponed, canceled, and rescheduled holiday dates. In 1947, Victory Day over Japan was made a working day. There was a holiday on December 22, the day of memory of Lenin - in 1951 he also became a worker. In addition, the USSR declared a cold war in 1946, after Churchill’s Fulton speech, and organizing a holiday on a nationwide scale was expensive, and from the point of view of organizing the labor of the population, it was wrong. Everyone worked and restored destroyed cities and towns, and built new factories. Partly to be ready to repel a new attack.

There is another assumption why they stopped celebrating Victory Day. The initiative came from Stalin, who perceived the post-war popularity of Georgy Zhukov as a direct threat to his post. The political cases “Aviators’ Case” and “Trophy Case” developed in the same vein in 1946-1948.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, “May 9 is the day of glory, the pride of our people, the day of highest veneration for the generation of winners.”

/TASS/. The date of celebration of Victory Day on May 9 was established by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council (SC) of the USSR dated May 8, 1945.

Vladimir Putin

President of the Russian Federation

The 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, which is celebrated in 2015, will become a holiday that unites the country so that the heroism of veterans does not go in vain, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 17 at a meeting of the Victory organizing committee.

How the anniversaries of the Victory were celebrated in the USSR and the Russian Federation, when May 9 became a day off, how the parades took place on Red Square, in the TASS material.

New day off and first parade since 1945

The 10th anniversary of the Victory - May 9, 1955 - was an ordinary working day. There was no military parade on Red Square. Solemn meetings were held in the country's cities, concerts and mass festivities took place in squares and parks. In the evening, a 30-volley fireworks display was fired in Moscow, the capitals of the Union republics and in the hero cities.

For the first time, the anniversary of the Victory was widely celebrated in the Soviet Union in 1965. On the eve of the 20th anniversary, on March 6, a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers was issued “On the expansion of benefits for disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and members of the families of military personnel who died in the Great Patriotic War.”

On April 26, a decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces was signed declaring May 9 a non-working day. On the eve of the anniversary, monuments dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War were erected throughout the country, in particular, the construction of the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex in Volgograd was underway (completed in October 1967), a competition was announced for the best design of the monument to the Unknown Soldier (the opening of the memorial took place on May 8, 1967 of the year). Since 1965, Komsomol organizations of the USSR launched the “Memory Watch” campaign to search for the remains of missing soldiers, perpetuate the memory of the battles of the Great Patriotic War, and care for military graves and memorials.

On May 7, the anniversary medal “Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” was established, which was received by more than 16 million people. In total, over 33 thousand war participants were awarded various orders and medals for the anniversary.

On May 8, the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council approved the Regulations on the honorary title "Hero City", which was awarded to Moscow, Leningrad, Volgograd, Kyiv, Sevastopol and Odessa. At the same time, the Brest Fortress received the title “Hero-Fortress”.

On May 9, a parade of troops and military equipment of the Moscow garrison took place on Red Square in Moscow for the first time since the end of the war. The Victory Banner was carried to Red Square by a participant in the storming of the Reichstag in Berlin, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel Konstantin Samsonov, he was assisted by Heroes of the Soviet Union, reserve sergeant Mikhail Egorov and junior reserve sergeant Meliton Kantaria - it was they who hoisted the banner over the Reichstag on the night of May 1, 1945. The parade was attended by heads of delegations from 13 countries. On May 9 at 18:50, the program-ritual “Minute of Silence” in memory of the victims was broadcast for the first time on television and radio.

At 21:00, an artillery salute of 30 salvos took place in Moscow, the capitals of the union republics, hero cities and other cities of the country. It was since 1965 that mass meetings of veterans and fellow soldiers became traditional - in the center of Moscow and other large cities of the USSR.

Youth demonstration instead of a military parade

The 30th anniversary of the Victory was celebrated in 1975. This year, by decrees of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, the honorary title of “hero city” was awarded to Kerch, Minsk and Novorossiysk.

In Moscow, the square near the Triumphal Arch on Kutuzovsky Prospekt was named Victory Square.

On April 25, the anniversary medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was established. (more than 14 million awarded).

This year, a military parade was not held in Moscow; instead, on May 9, a solemn demonstration of youth took place on Red Square.

On May 8 and 9, a ceremonial laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier took place from government delegations of 11 socialist countries, France, the USA and the Soviet government. In the evening, a traditional 30-volley fireworks display took place in Moscow and other cities of the country.

Column of veterans and films about the war

In preparation for the 40th anniversary of the Victory, the films “Battle for Moscow” by Yuri Ozerov and “Come and See” by Elem Klimov were released.

On April 12, the anniversary medal “Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” was established. (more than 11 million people).

Also, by decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, participants in military operations were awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, I and II degrees.

On May 6, by decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, the honorary title of “hero city” was awarded to Murmansk and Smolensk.

On May 9, a parade was held in Moscow in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Victory, in which for the first time a separate column of war veterans took part.

In the evening, a festive 40-volley fireworks display was fired in more than 30 cities of the country.

The Law “On Veterans”, new memorials and foreign guests of the holiday

The 50th anniversary of the Victory was celebrated in 1995. In preparation for the anniversary, on July 7, 1993, the medal “50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War” was established (19.5 million copies were issued). On January 12, 1995, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the federal law “On Veterans,” which expanded the category of war participants and provided them with a number of additional benefits.

For the 50th anniversary of the Victory, new monuments and memorials were opened. On May 3, 1995, on the Prokhorovsky field, where the largest tank battle of the Great Patriotic War took place during the Battle of Kursk on July 12, 1943, a Victory Monument was opened - the Prokhorovsky Tank Battle Museum. On May 8, 1995, on Manezhnaya Square near the walls of the Historical Museum - a monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. Monuments to the marshal were also erected in St. Petersburg and in the commander’s homeland in the village of Zhukovka, Kaluga region. On May 9, 1995, the opening of the Victory Memorial in the Great Patriotic War and the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War took place on Poklonnaya Hill.

On May 8, a naval parade took place in St. Petersburg. For the first time in the history of the country, it became international: ships from member states of the anti-Hitler coalition took part in it. In Moscow on May 9, in connection with the reconstruction of Manezhnaya Square, two parades were held: on Red Square and on Poklonnaya Hill. Veteran regiments (4 thousand veterans), as well as students from military academies and schools took part in the parade on Red Square. On Poklonnaya Hill - troops of the Moscow garrison with modern models of military equipment. For the first time since 1957, aviation took part in the parade; a group of planes flew over Poklonnaya Gora.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and heads of 56 states, including all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, took part in the celebrations. In total, about 3 thousand guests from foreign countries arrived in Russia. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania refused to participate in the celebrations.

"St. George's Ribbon" campaign, additional payments to veterans and a historical parade

In 2005, Russia celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Victory.

In many cities of the country, sculptural and architectural compositions and memorial monuments dedicated to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War were discovered and reconstructed. In accordance with the decree of the head of state of March 30, 2005, war veterans were provided with additional monthly financial support.

By presidential decree of February 28, 2004, the anniversary medal "60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was established. (about 9 million produced).

For the first time in April 2005, the public action "St. George's Ribbon" was launched, dedicated to the celebration of Victory Day. Since then, the event has become traditional and is held annually from April 24 to May 12. Volunteers distribute St. George ribbons in more than 30 countries around the world. During the campaign, more than 45 million ribbons were distributed around the world.

On May 9, a military parade took place on Red Square, consisting of two parts: historical and modern. Over 7 thousand military personnel and 2.6 thousand front-line soldiers took part in it. The parade ended with 12 combat aircraft from the 16th Air Force of the Russian Air Force flying over Red Square.

On the eve of the festive events on May 8, a meeting of the heads of state of the CIS, excluding Azerbaijan, was held at the Moscow President Hotel. In total, leaders of 53 foreign countries arrived in Moscow to celebrate the anniversary of the Victory.

The celebration ended with a concert on Red Square. At 22:00, celebratory artillery salutes were fired in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Novorossiysk, Tula, Smolensk, Murmansk, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Chita, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Severomorsk and Sevastopol.

More than 78.5 thousand people and almost 2 thousand units of military equipment will be involved. The head of the defense department also noted that 85 WWII veterans from all over Russia will come to the Victory Parade in Moscow.

A gala reception on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation will be held in the Kremlin for veterans and other invitees. In all regions, it is planned to hold commemorative photo, documentary and art exhibitions, concerts, as well as a single lesson in all schools dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory.

In 2014-2015 measures were taken to repair and improve the memorial complex "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad", the military-historical museum-reserve "Prokhorovskoe Field", etc. In 2015, it is planned to implement publishing and scientific projects related to perpetuating the memory of the Great Patriotic War, in particular the publication of a fundamental multi-volume work "The Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". The development of Internet resources of the public data banks “Memorial” and “Feat of the People” also continued, filling them with information about those who died defending the Fatherland, as well as the formation of a unified search system with the creation of an interactive website based on wartime maps using modern navigation systems.