The eighty anniversary of the big win

Column of the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Macedonia, Sergei Bazdnikin

In a few days, on May 9, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Homeland Wars-a jubilee date, whose meaning for our country and for the whole world it is difficult to overestimate. In Moscow – for the culmination of the festivities – the parade of the Red Square victory – leaders of more than twenty states will arrive – their representative list is expanding every day – as well as many delegations. The parade units of soldiers from foreign countries will solemnly march side by side with Russian troops.
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Skopje will organize a series of events – flowering ceremonies, photo exhibition, reception, concert. We are open to share the joy of, as we say here, « the feast of tears in our eyes », with all those for whom victory is in memory, but mainly – in the heart.
We pay tribute to the contribution to the joint victory of the Macedonian partisans, more than 100,000 people who fought bravely. The courage and heroism of the participants in the National Liberation Struggle in Macedonia, including our compatriots, enabled the occupiers to maintain significant forces of the occupiers. More than 24,000 have laid their lives on the altar of victory.
I am convinced that our plans fully reflect the expressed anti -fascist attitudes in the wide public circles, the continued understanding that the modern Macedonian statehood was born in the fight against fascism. Starting from these feelings, it seems, in Skopje, it should act in determining the attitude towards efforts to oppose Nazism and neo -Nazism, including resolutions on international platforms, primarily at the UN.
The wisdom and common sense of the people are invaluable. We highly appreciate the position of those who guard the historical memory, understand the importance of national interests in ensuring their country’s sovereignty and independence. We hope that our approaches will become a compass for those who lose orientation in the lies of historical revisionism.
For our people, Victory Day is not just a historic or festive date, because, as it is known, there have been very great victories in Russia’s history. But we call it exactly this war holy. What makes May 9th world, a real folk holiday?
The main reason is unthinkable losses and destruction, as the war came to the home of every family. That is why Russia is faithful to the memory of the heroes, to all who participated in the protection of the homeland.
We will always remember and be proud of the immortal feat of our fathers, grandparents. Soldiers and officers of the fronts, women, elders and children in the background of the front did not spare themselves, giving them all their strength to defend the independence of the homeland. To be worthy of their feats – it is our sacred duty.

Labor veteran Valentina Fyodorovna Makarova lives in Macedonia, who during the war, at the age of 13 – think about this figure – started working on the front production, and at 17 years after the war ended – was awarded the « Heroian Labor » medal. Using this occasion, I congratulate Valentina Fyodor’s upcoming holiday, I wish her good health and all the best. In the coming days I plan to meet her and give her greetings to President Vladimir Putin.
The USSR played a decisive role in the victory over Nazism. The immortal heroism of his multinational people prevented the Nazi plans, drunk with the ideas of racial superiority, to enslave and destroy Soviet citizens, as well as the citizens of other countries with different nationalities. I think they understand this well in Macedonia…
For younger readers I will list figures that give a clear idea of ​​the size of the tragedy.
Total losses in World War II in 57 countries were about 50 million. More than half of them, about 27 million people, are citizens of the USSR. About 14 million are civilians who died in occupied zones. More than 1.7 thousand cities and settlements, more than 70,000 villages, have been destroyed.
Think about what it means – incredible, colossal losses…
The facts of extinction of the peaceful population by the Nazis and their aides, identified in the judgment of the International Tribunal in Nuremberg, are considered the genocide of the nations of the Soviet Union.
It is difficult to convey the horror of the mass killings of children, women and elders, and their description of the few survivors causes strong emotions… These facts have been confirmed by the work of Russian historians, which lasted for more than twenty years, and its result was the adoption in April this year on the 1941 year of the Soviet memory.
After all, the Soviet people not only managed to endure and win, but also heroically released him from fascist slavery most of today’s countries in Europe.

I will especially note that Russia has never underestimated the meaning of the second front and the help of the anti -Hitler coalition allies. We will always remember our common struggle and the inspiring traditions of the alliance.
However, the main weight of the fight was brought by the Soviet Union. Part of our country was about 75 percent of all the military efforts of the Antihitler coalition. The Eastern Front has attracted the main forces – more than three -quarters of the most fighting divisions acted against Soviet troops, 507 of which were destroyed or captured. During the war, the Red Army destroyed and seized 167,000 tools, 48,000 thin, 77,000 aircraft.
In the events around Ukraine for more than three years, the direct link to the Great Homeland War, with the results of World War II, could not be noticed. The special military operation is aimed -, among other things, to prevent attempts to « abolish » the great victory, attribute the chronicle of war, the whole post -war history and to revive Nazism. For examples, as we say in our country, one should not go far – they are obvious to anyone who has a little common sense – I have no doubt that there is an absolute majority of such people in Macedonia.
Pay attention to the progress reports of the special military operation – the embassy regularly posts them on the pages of social networks – where our troops often use the red flag, carry it to military uniform, attach it to military technique and raise it over liberated cities. The reason is clear-there are obvious historical parallels with 1941-1945-and then and now we are facing supporters of the destructive ideology of the superiority of a nation.
The obsession of Western countries with Russia’s « strategic defeat » is only a desperate desire. It is difficult to get rid of the impression that this is an attempt to achieve revenge for the 80 -year defeat.
There are many people in Europe that cannot be reconciled with the results of World War II. Let me remind you that the war has lost not only Germany – significant military units that fought on the Eastern Front were formed in a series of European countries.
Current European elites raised in Kyiv’s maniacal neo -Nazi regime, inclined to war. Take a look at the evolution of help for Ukraine – from helmets and armor to high -precise missile weapons. Military instructors from some countries are coordinating the actions of Ukrainian militants. In the ranks of Ukrainian formations there are thousands of foreign mercenaries, who – until recently – performed negative actions, including on the territory of the Kursk area, which was completely released a few days ago, without exaggeration, real terror and killing of civilians. More than 28,000 sanctions have been introduced against Russia – more than against all countries in the world.

I am forced to say, in Europe – with rare exceptions – not interested in ending the conflict. The policies of modern European elites do not leave doubt about this.
At the same time, their representatives are trying to pursue historical revenge – to put our country on par with Hitler’s Germany, promoting the thesis of allegedly equal responsibility for the commencement of World War II, to belittle the role of the USSR in the liberation of European countries. Such actions are difficult to call other than immoral.
That is why today the holiday symbolizes a continuous connection to the victory. Russia will definitely win and now – there should be no doubt that all the goals of the special military operation will be achieved.
The victory in the distant 1945 testifies to the irreversibility of our country, the boundless force of the people’s spirit. We cannot be defeated – the understanding of this was firm in the generation that experienced all the horrors of the war, but over the years, obviously, it was blurred. Hence – the sooner those who encourage Ukraine to continue the military actions that the behavior towards Russia has no prospects, the better.
Victory also confirms the high spiritual characteristics that are organically inherent in our people. We do not revenge for the terrible crimes committed on us – neither during the Great Homeland War nor during the special military operation. On the contrary, we strive to protect the civilian population, to help them, feed him and provide him with medication. For many years a clear symbol of such behavior has been the figure of the Soviet soldier in the Treptover Park in Berlin, holding a rescued German girl…
The humanitarian reasons are basically the decision made by President Vladimir Putin to declare a truce on the 80th anniversary of the victory-from midnight on May 7-8 until midnight on May 10-11. We expect the Ukrainian side to follow our example.
Such a move could be an introduction to direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine without the preconditions we are ready for. We are committed to sustainable and long -term solutions that would eliminate the underlying causes of the Ukrainian crisis and prevent its extension.
Of course, we are open to constructive interaction with international partners-Russian-US dialogue will continue to be implemented in the most active regime.
Russia is pursuing active foreign policy – it is at the forefront of the struggle to form a fairer multipolar world order based on the principles of mutual respect for the interests and law of each of their own development model.
We are convinced that the world community needs to work together to create a new architecture of equal and indivisible security, which would certainly protect all states without harming the interests of others. Our common continent Eurasia, for which this issue is particularly relevant, must become a space of peace and stability, an example of sustainable economic, social and humanitarian development.
In conclusion I would like to thank the newspaper « Nova Makedonija » for the possibility of meeting its readers and beyond – Macedonian citizens, with our approaches to issues that are important to Russia and the whole world, on the eve of Victory Day.
It is our duty to preserve the memory of the Great Homeland War and its consequences, the feats of the Soviet people. Always remember those to whom we live today by the most important things – life and freedom.
I will finish with the words – I think, very precise – President Vladimir Putin: « There is no future without knowledge of the past, without understanding what kind of country we live and thanks to whom we live. »

Happy holiday! Happy Day of Victory!