THE BELL WEEKLY: How May 9 became a symbol of the ongoing war

Hello! This week we look at Russia’s celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and how they have been hijacked by Putin’s political agenda and inextricably tied to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s Victory Day celebrations tie WW2 to attack on Ukraine

This week will see grandiose celebrations in Russia to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War, which is how Russia refers to the Second World War. The Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, which is celebrated on May 9, has in recent decades become one of the country’s most important holidays. It’s also an annual demonstration of  Russia’s military potential, and the technological progress of the armed forces. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – which the Russian authorities regularly describe as a prolongation of the struggle against “Nazism” – it has become a symbol of the ongoing war.