MOSCOW, Russian Federation – As has been the tradition since the first parade was held on June 24, 1945, mid-morning, around ten o’clock, marked the beginning of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory Day on the Red Square of the Kremlin.

Long before, friends from different latitudes had begun to arrive at the venue of the ceremony to join the Russian Federation in these hours of joy and firmness. The dignitaries numbered some thirty; and on behalf of Cuba, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived at the venue at the stroke of nine o’clock in the morning.

From the presidency, a smiling Vladimir Putin could be seen. And it is logical that it was so, because this May 9th was a day of victory; because it was the Soviets, although many pretend to deny it and tell other legends, who stopped the murderous machinery of Nazism -which seemed unstoppable- at a very high cost.

Next to the President of the Russian Federation was his counterpart Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China. The image was more than eloquent: friends must be united in this world marked by uncertainty; and especially those who lead strong nations and must carry on their shoulders the responsibility to counterbalance, to change the current unjust order imposed on the world by an increasingly aggressive empire.

17,500 soldiers marched in the celebration ceremony that has been held every year since 1995. The words of Vladimir Putin, who began his speech by greeting everyone: the citizens of Russia, the “dear veterans”, the guests, the comrade soldiers and sailors, the sergeants and non-commissioned officers, the midshipmen and non-commissioned officers, the “comrade officers, generals and admirals”.

To all, the President congratulated them on the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. And then he affirmed: “Today, we are all united by feelings of joy and sadness, pride and gratitude, and admiration for the generation that crushed Nazism and, at the cost of millions of lives, conquered freedom and peace for all mankind”.

The President stressed that they faithfully preserve the memory of the historical and triumphal events: “As heirs of the victors – he emphasized – we celebrate the feast of May 9th as our own, as the most important feast for the country, for the whole nation, for each family, for each one of us”.

“Our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents saved the Homeland. And they bequeathed us to defend our Homeland, to be united, to firmly defend our national interests, our thousand-year history, our culture, our traditional values; everything that is dear to us, everything that is sacred to us.”

Vladimir Putin stressed: “We remember the lessons of the Second World War and we will never agree with the distortion of its events, with attempts to justify the executioners and slander the real victors”.
“Our duty is to defend the honor of the soldiers and commanders of the Red Army, the great feat of representatives of different nationalities, who will forever remain in world history as Russian soldiers.”

In a very clear message to the world, the President asserted that Russia has been and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism, and will fight against the atrocities committed by the advocates of these aggressive and destructive ideas.

THE SACRIFICE OF A GREAT NATION

The President of the Russian Federation reminded all present that the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the most brutal and merciless attacks of the enemy. And he emphasized that “millions of people who knew only peaceful work took up arms and resisted to death on all heights, bridgeheads and borders, determined the outcome of the entire Second World War with unconditional victories in the largest battles near Moscow and Stalingrad, on the Kursk salient and the Dnieper.”

Putin emphasized the courage of the defenders of Belarus, who were the first to confront the enemy; the steadfastness of the participants in the defense of the Brest Fortress and Mogilev, Odessa and Sevastopol, Murmansk, Tula, Smolensk; the heroism of the inhabitants of besieged Leningrad, the bravery of all those who fought at the front, in partisan detachments and in the underground, the courage of those who evacuated the factories of the country under enemy fire, who worked in the rear without sparing efforts, to the limit of their strength.

He also appreciated that the plans of the Nazis to take over the Soviet Union were shattered by the truly iron unity of the country. He said that the heroism of the people was massive, and that all the republics bore the common heavy burden of the war.

“The contribution of the people of Central Asia and Transcaucasia was enormous,” the statesman said. He added: “From here, trains with everything needed at the front continued to move without interruption. Hospitals were located here, and hundreds of thousands of evacuees found their second home. They shared with them shelter, bread and warmth.” “We honor every veteran of the Great Patriotic War, we bow our heads to the memory of all those who gave their lives for the Victory.” The President of the Russian Federation spoke for “the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, mothers, grandparents, great-grandparents, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends.” And he stressed: “We bow our heads to our comrades-in-arms”, those who died a heroic death in a just battle for Russia. A minute of silence was declared. And that was the moment to make a special tribute as the seconds of the Kremlin carillon, the most important clock of the country, that legendary symbol of the Eurasian giant, about which there is a legend that it has never stopped, were ticking.

MORE EXPRESSIONS OF TRIBUTE

“Dear friends, almost 80 percent of the planet’s population was dragged into the fiery orbit of the Second World War,” the president said in his speech. And he stressed, “The complete defeat of Nazi Germany, militaristic Japan and their satellites in different regions of the world was achieved through the joint efforts of the countries of the United Nations.” “We will always remember that the opening of a second front in Europe, after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union, brought the Victory closer. We highly value the contribution to our common struggle of the soldiers of the Allied armies, the participants of the Resistance and the brave people of China. All those who fought for a future of peace.” “Dear friends!” ”We will continue to admire the veterans, their sincere love for their homeland, their determination to defend their home, the values of humanism and justice. Let us give these traditions, this great heritage the most important thing in our hearts, and pass it on to future generations.” “We will always rely on our unity in military and peaceful affairs, in achieving strategic goals, in solving problems on behalf of Russia, its greatness and prosperity.”

THE SYMBOLS AND GESTURES OF A CELEBRATION

An orange ribbon with three black stripes was worn on the lapel of many participants in the Parade ceremony. It was an allegory of the Order of St. George – a Russian honorary distinction, one of the oldest that distinguishes exclusively military merits, whose symbolism was taken up again after the disappearance of the USSR, and that in the context of this Friday’s celebration connoted the spirit of a victory that all good men and women welcome as their own.

Putin wore one of those orange ribbons on his lapel. At the conclusion of his speech, a martial and colorful parade began. The first forces were the fighters of the Special Military Operation, which included 24 Heroes of Russia. Then it was the turn of the military academies, followed by the various groups of land, naval and air forces. The armored combat technology was in charge of the closing ceremony. And then the heads of state present accompanied Putin to the Alexander Garden to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

It is known that there is buried there an anonymous fighter, and that is why it is the symbol of all those who gave their lives without leaving names, without leaving faces, stoically, in pursuit of their fellow men.

This Friday there was an unforgettable Parade. And beyond the colors and martiality, the planet received the message that a giant people, the Soviet people, was able to stop the Nazi machinery of death. The parade made us think of gratitude, and of the necessary historical memory without which it would not be possible to know which side the main heroes are on.