Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the attitude to the Victory Day in the Great Patriotic war and the feat of the Soviet people in the fight against German fascism.
In an interview for Mir TV channel, the head of state stressed that the ability not to feel sorry for yourself, if circumstances require it, is in the blood of the peoples of Russia.
This is how he commented on the fact that today people often wonder how the current generation should behave in a critical situation.
"There are such examples as the heroic behavior of our soldiers in Afghanistan, as the feat of paratroopers of the Pskov division, who showed mass heroism in conditions that would seem impossible for today. Very young guys, 19-20 years old, 21 years old. But they were worthy of those defenders of our Motherland who stood up to defend it in 1941. Therefore, I think that it is really in the blood of Russians not to feel sorry for themselves if the circumstances require it," Vladimir Putin said.
Speaking about his father, the Russian President noted that he went to the front as a volunteer, although he had a so-called reservation, that is, he was not called up to the active army.
"When the Great Patriotic war began, he could have stayed to work in the home front, but he volunteered. By the way, he was young, but still an adult already, he was 31 years old. It was a conscious choice for him. At the same time, I would like to say that millions of Soviet citizens did this at that time. Millions. He was one of them, among those millions. People were driven by a sense of love for the Motherland, the need to protect their family, their loved ones and their Fatherland," the Russian leader stressed.
In the film "War for memory" by Andrey Kondrashov, shown by Russia 1 TV channel, Vladimir Putin focused on the attempts of some Western countries to rewrite the history of the Second world war.
So, in January, the Polish Sejm adopted a resolution that blamed both Germany and the Soviet Union for the start of the war, and last year the European Parliament adopted a similar resolution. Putin stressed that Russia would denounce any such attempts and would not allow anyone to erase its heroic record.
"We put 27 million lives of our citizens - the Soviet Union, I mean-on the altar of Victory. Jointly. Therefore, there can be no justification for those who try to rewrite history, " the head of state said.
Putin called attempts to accuse the Soviet Union of preparing and unleashing World war II nonsense.
"Who attacked whom on June 22, 41? Did we attack Germany or did Germany attack us? What is this nonsense? " he concluded.
Today, on the eve of the Victory Day, the President of the Russian Federation also welcomed the participants of the opening ceremony of the new "Zoya" Museum complex of Hero of the Soviet Union Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya. Its opening in the village of Petrishchevo of the Ruzsky city district took place online.
Vladimir Putin's telegram, published on the Kremlin's website, says:
"Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya survived the most difficult challenges, firmly, until the last minutes of her short, but so bright life, she resisted a cruel enemy ... The courage and bravery of the young intelligence officer, her faith in the right cause inspired the soldiers and officers of the Red Army, who went into battle to avenge "Zoya". Her life today serves as an example of selfless devotion to the Motherland and duty."
The President expressed confidence that the new museum will carefully store archival materials, photos, personal belongings of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya and other heroes, as well as implement educational and patriotic projects.
The Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya memorial museum has been working in Petrishchevo since 1956. The new museum is built near the old building next to the house of Vasily and Praskovya Kulik, where the girl was tortured, not far from the place of her execution.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation