Russian President Vladimir Putin said that there is no forgiveness for those who, having forgotten the lessons of World War II, are again plotting aggressive plans.
"The war brought so many unbearable trials, grief and tears that it is impossible to forget. And there is no forgiveness and no excuse for those who are again plotting aggressive plans," he said, speaking from the podium in Red Square on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Victory.
The Russian leader noted that it's now almost a century since "the time when the monstrous Nazi beast in the center of Europe grew bolder and stronger, and slogans of racial and national superiority, anti-Semitism and Russophobia sounded more and more cynically". Agreements designed to stop the slide toward world war were easily crossed out.
"History demands that we draw conclusions and draw lessons, but unfortunately, much of the ideology of the Nazis, those who were obsessed with the delusional theory of their exceptionalism are being tried again," the President stressed. He emphasized that we are not only talking about various kinds of radicals and groups of international terrorists. "Today we see a gathering of unscrupulous punishers, their followers, attempts to rewrite history, to justify traitors and criminals who have the blood of hundreds of thousands of peaceful people on their hands," Putin said.
The President reminded that in 2021 the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War will be marked. He stressed that June 22, 1941, is one of the most tragic dates in history. "The enemy attacked our country, came to our land to kill, to sow death and pain, horror and untold suffering. He wanted not only to overthrow the political system, the Soviet system but to destroy us, destroy us as a state, as a nation, wipe our peoples off the face of the earth," Putin stated. He added that "the response to the invasion of the Nazi hordes was a common, formidable, irresistible feeling of determination to repel the invasion, to do everything to defeat the enemy, to ensure that criminals, murderers would suffer inevitable and just punishment."
The President noted that the Soviet people defended the homeland and liberated the countries of Europe from the "brown plague" and delivered a historic verdict to Nazism by the power of weapons on the battlefields, the strength of its moral righteousness, the sacrificial courage of soldiers' mothers, the loyalty of those who every day waited for news from the front and the strength of love for neighbor, which is embedded in the national character. Putin recalled the exploits of doctors and nurses who saved the wounded and fought for every life both on the front lines and in hospitals at the front and in the rear.
"Then in 1941, there were still four years of the bloodiest war ahead. It struck at the future, at the young, very young generations, and therefore at those who were not destined to be born," stressed the head of state.
The feat of the Soviet people
Russian President called the victory in the Great Patriotic War an event of colossal importance to the fate of the entire world. The head of state promised that the country will always remember the feat of the Soviet people, who were one-on-one with the enemy during the most difficult time of war.
Speaking at the parade, Putin congratulated Russians on Victory Day - "a victory of colossal, historical significance for the fate of the entire world, a holiday that was, is and will be sacred for Russia and its people." "It is ours by right of kinship with those who defeated, crushed Nazism, ours by right of heirs of the generation of winners, the generation we honor and are proud of," said the President.
"We bow before your courage and strength of spirit, we thank you for your immortal example of unity and love for the Motherland. You have proven that only together you can achieve the seemingly impossible. You defeated a merciless enemy, defended your homes, your children and your homeland. Won an unconditional victory over Nazism and glorified May 9, 1945, for centuries," the head of state addressed the veterans.
"We will always remember that it was the Soviet people who performed this majestic feat, in the most difficult time of the war, in the decisive battles that determined the outcome of the fight against fascism, our people were alone, alone on the difficult, heroic and sacrificial path to victory, fighting to the death on all borders, in the fiercest battles on land, at sea, in the sky," Putin assured.
Remembrance of everyone
"People of all nationalities, religions fought for every bit of their native land: for the fields near Moscow, the rocks of Karelia and the mountain passes of the Caucasus, the forests of Vyazma and Novgorod, the shores of the Baltic and the Dnieper, the Volga and Don steppes," the President stressed. He reminded that "the valor of Soviet soldiers, the indomitability of civilians are immortalized in the high title of the hero-cities of Moscow and Leningrad, Minsk and Kiev, Stalingrad and Sevastopol, Murmansk and Odessa, Kerch and Tula, Novorossiysk and Smolensk."
"The indissoluble front and home front provided everything necessary for the front and victory, made everything in the factories of the Volga region and the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, in the cities of Kazakhstan and the republics of Central Asia," the President said. "We also remember those who gave shelter, supported those who found themselves in evacuation, forced to leave their homes," the head of state added. According to him, on Victory Day the country "pays tribute and gratitude to the whole generation of great heroes and toilers, remembers the frontline fighters, the brave partisans and underground fighters". "We bow our heads to the memory of all those whose lives were taken by the war, to the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-arms, relatives and friends and we mourn the veterans who left us," Putin said.
He declared a minute of silence.
Protecting national interests
The President added that Russia will firmly defend its national interests and ensure the security of the Russian people. "Russia has consistently defended international law. At the same time, we will firmly defend our national interests and ensure the security of our people," he said.
According to the head of state, "a reliable guarantee of this is Russia's valiant armed forces, the heirs of the soldiers of the Victory." "And, of course, our joint work for the development of the country, for the well-being of Russian families," he added.
Putin reminded that "every family holds sacred the memory of those who won the victory."
"And we will always be proud of their feat," he assured. Putin stressed that veterans, their fates and their devotion to the homeland are an example for Russians, "a peak to which we must strive." He pointed out how important it is to preserve the significance, the value of the victory in the Great Patriotic War "in their thoughts and deeds, in deeds and future accomplishments - in the name of the Fatherland."
"Glory to the victorious people! Happy holiday to you! Happy Great Victory Day! Hooray!" the President of the Russian Federation finished his speech. The Red Square parade troops responded to him with a thunderous threefold hooray. After that, the demonstration part of the parade began.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS