Events honoring the Soviet role in defeating the Third Reich are being overshadowed by bans on Soviet and Russian symbols in parts of Europe
Published 8 May, 2026 05:36
| Updated 8 May, 2026 09:45
© Elena Romanova / Getty Images
Countries around the world are marking the 81st anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II on May 8 and 9, paying tribute to the millions who gave their lives to defeat the Third Reich.
The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the war, losing an estimated 27 million people in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Victory Day remains one of the country’s most important national holidays.
In Russia, Victory Day is celebrated on May 9 because Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender was signed late on May 8 in Berlin – making it after midnight in Moscow. The annual military parade is set to take place in Red Square on Friday.
Commemorations in several Western European countries, including Germany, have been overshadowed by restrictions on Soviet and Russian symbols such as flags and St. George ribbons, introduced after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has condemned the bans as an attempt to erase the memory of the role of the USSR in defeating Nazism.
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‘Immortal Regiment’ march held in Washington (PHOTOS)
Despite the restrictions, people across Europe are continuing to lay flowers at Soviet war memorials and take part in ‘Immortal Regiment’ marches, carrying portraits of relatives who fought the Nazis during the deadliest conflict in human history.
Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier announced a two-day ceasefire for May 8-9 to coincide with the Victory Day commemorations and urged Ukraine to observe it as well. The ministry said on Friday that more than 260 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over Russian territory overnight.
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08 May 2026
15:14 GMT
The presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will take part in the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has announced.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko, later on Friday during a friendly lunch and will also hold bilateral meetings, Ushakov told reporters
On Saturday, all the leaders will attend the parade on Red Square and take part in a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and other celebratory events.
- 15:04 GMT
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow’s Alexander Garden ahead of Victory Day.
Medvedev, who serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council and head of the United Russia party, was joined by senior party officials, military personnel who had served in Ukraine, and war correspondents.
”United Russia has always used all its capabilities to support veterans, as well as participants in the special military operation and members of their families. This will continue,” Medvedev wrote on social media.
- 13:57 GMT
Attempts to whitewash history prevent societies from learning the lessons of World War II, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said on Friday in remarks marking the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat.
“This truth is uncomfortable. But it is the truth. Those who sugarcoat history do not learn from it,” he said.
Stocker said ignoring the past leaves societies ill-prepared for modern challenges, including migration, security, energy and economic pressures.
“The main lesson of history is not only what happened then. It is how quickly things change when too many look away,” he said. “Democracy does not collapse suddenly. It erodes gradually.”
“May 8 is not a day of complacency. It is a day of self-reflection,” he added.
Austria marks May 8 as the Festival of Joy, commemorating the end of World War II and the country’s liberation from Nazism.
- 13:54 GMT
A video conference with World War II veterans from Israel, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Latvia has been held at the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange as part of the Russian-British veteran project ‘The Last Soldier of World War II’.
The participants discussed the role of Soviet troops and the anti-Hitler coalition in defeating Nazism, as well as the historical legacy of the Russian Armed Forces in the fight against fascism as part of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The guests also spoke about their decision to come to Russia to celebrate Victory Day, their experiences, Western attempts to downplay the Soviet Union’s role in World War II, and shared their opinions on the revival of monuments to Nazi-linked figures in Europe.
- 13:35 GMT
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday led France’s ceremonies marking the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.
Macron laid a wreath at the statue of General Charles de Gaulle on the Champs-Elysees before proceeding to the Arc de Triomphe, where he rekindled the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a state ceremony in Paris.
May 8, marking Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender to Allied forces in 1945, has been a public holiday in France since 1953.
The commemorations honored France’s roughly 600,000 wartime dead, resistance fighters, and Allied troops who helped liberate the country from Nazi occupation. The Paris ceremony came as Victory Day commemorations across much of Western Europe have grown increasingly subdued and marking the end of World War II has faded as a national priority.
- 12:43 GMT
The president of Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sinisa Karan, and the region’s former leader, Milorad Dodik, have arrived in Moscow to attend the Victory Day parade on Red Square on May 9.
- 12:23 GMT
A 99-year Second World War veteran made a symbolic kick off before the Russian cup semi-final match between FC Krasnodar and Dynamo Moscow on Thursday, impressing the players and the crowd with his physical form.
Stepan Kuznetsov, who resides in the southern city of Krasnodar and is a fan of the local team, met with one of FC Krasnodar’s biggest starts, Eduard Spertsyan, after the game, joking that “an old footballer has brought you victory” and wishing him luck in the final against Spartak Moscow.
- 11:51 GMT
As the world commemorates those killed in World War II, RT’s Marina Kosareva examines how some political leaders are distorting the historical role of the Soviet Union and China, two nations that suffered enormous losses in the fight against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers.
- 11:40 GMT
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has addressed his citizens on the day of liberation from Nazism with a short message on X, in which he neglected to mention the role of the Soviet Union in defeating Adolf Hitler’s forces.
“May 8, 1945, brought liberation — for millions of people, for Germany, for Europe. It reminds us never to forget what hatred can lead to. It obliges us to stand up for a free, democratic, and solidarity-based Germany in a strong Europe,” Merz wrote.
The message caused an angry reaction from some users, with one of them wondering “why should we then hate Russia and the Russians, who liberated us?” Another commentator described Berlin’s decision to ban the display of Soviet symbols on May 8 and 9 as “cowardice.”
- 11:28 GMT
Hundreds of people took part in an ‘Immortal Regiment’ march in the Cypriot capital Nicosia on Tuesday as part of Victory Day commemorations organized by the Russian Center for Science and Culture.
Russian compatriots, Cypriots and representatives of other nationalities carried portraits of relatives who fought in World War II through the city center. Participants marched with a 53-meter Russian flag, a Victory Banner and a St. George ribbon, while a festive concert was held near the Russian Embassy.
Organizers said Victory Day events on the island would continue in Limassol and Larnaca through May 9.
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08 May 2026
04:20 GMT
Germany’s ban on Soviet and Russian Victory Day symbols at major World War II memorials in Berlin came into force on Friday and will remain in place until 10 PM on May 9. The restrictions apply to the Soviet memorials in Tiergarten, Treptower Park and Schoenholzer Heide and prohibit the display of Russian, Soviet, Belarusian flags, military uniforms and insignia, including St. George ribbons. Russian military songs and marches are also banned, although some exemptions apply to diplomats and WWII veterans.
Russia has repeatedly condemned efforts across Europe to restrict Soviet-era symbols during WWII commemorations, accusing Western governments of trying to rewrite history and downplay the USSR’s role in defeating Nazi Germany. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last month that some in the West appear to see the Soviet victory in WWII as an “accident” they now seek to “rectify.”
- 04:30 GMT
German authorities are discriminating against Russia by banning Soviet flags and St. George ribbons during Victory Day commemorations, former European Parliament member and Alternative for Germany politician Gunnar Beck has told RT.
Beck argued that Berlin had not imposed similar restrictions on symbols linked to other Allied powers that defeated Nazi Germany in World War II. “There is absolutely no basis for such discrimination against Russia,” he said, stressing that the Soviet Union had suffered the highest casualties and made the “greatest single contribution” to defeating Nazism.
- 04:34 GMT
Russia’s embassy in Berlin condemned the restrictions on Soviet and Russian Victory Day symbols at WWII memorials as “absurd and cynical,” arguing they were aimed at preventing descendants of Soviet soldiers and visitors from properly commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of bringing “shame” on the country over the restrictions.
Despite the ban, commemorative events, including marches by the “Immortal Regiment” – a public procession in which participants carry portraits of relatives who fought against Nazi Germany in World War II – are scheduled across Germany this week. Organizers said the Berlin procession on May 9 would proceed under the imposed limitations.
- 05:01 GMT
The administration of US President Donald Trump had “fundamentally changed” Washington’s attitude toward Victory Day commemorations, Russia’s ambassador to the US, Aleksandr Darchiev, has said. He noting that the “Immortal Regiment” marches had been held in downtown Washington for the past two years.
Speaking at a reception at the Russian embassy in Washington marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, Darchiev said representatives of the White House and the State Department attended the event. He added that during a recent phone call, the Russian and US presidents had highlighted the importance of the wartime alliance between the Soviet Union and the United States.
People taking part in an ‘Immortal Regiment’ march in Washington. © Russian Embassy in the US
- 05:32 GMT
Residents of the Baltic states are expected to mark Victory Day by laying flowers on empty lawns and former memorial sites due to restrictions imposed on Soviet war monuments, activist Maksim Reva told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have accelerated the removal of Soviet-era WWII monuments and memorials, arguing they symbolize Soviet occupation, while Moscow has condemned the move as an attempt to erase the Soviet role in defeating Nazi Germany.
Reva said people in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania continue to visit the locations of removed WWII memorials despite official bans and police monitoring. He recalled that residents in the Estonian city of Narva last year placed flowers in the grass where a Soviet T-34 tank monument once stood, while similar commemorations took place in Riga.
- 06:04 GMT
Some 59% of people polled in Russia consider Victory Day the country’s most important holiday, according to a study published by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTSIOM) earlier this week.
Eight decades after the conclusion of the world’s deadliest conflict, reflections on triumph in the Great Patriotic War “continue to unite generations, having become a shared collective memory. The vast majority of our fellow citizens are convinced that May 9 represents the greatest victory in Russia’s entire history,” the pollster noted.
The Motherland Calls monument is illuminated in the colors of the Russian flag during the Light of the Great Victory show on Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex ahead of Victory Day marking the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Volgograd, Russia. © Sputnik / Kirill Braga
- 06:38 GMT
“Immortal Regiment” marches and other Victory Day commemorative events are already underway in a number of countries ahead of the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Hundreds of people carrying portraits of their heroic ancestors” have marched through “Washington D.C., New York City, Geneva, Kinshasa, Tokyo, and Kuwait City,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a weekly press briefing on Thursday.
Zakharova added that Russian diplomats abroad are “congratulating veterans, paying tribute to the feat of Soviet soldiers by laying flowers at memorials and graves of those who fell liberating Europe, taking part in Immortal Regiment marches with portraits of their ancestors,” as well as organizing “the St George Ribbon and Garden of Memory campaigns.”
She said “solemn receptions will be held at Russian missions abroad with the participation of compatriots, friends of our country, and all those who remember and honour the feat of the Soviet people.”
- 06:45 GMT
The Austrian authorities have refused to permit a tree-planting ceremony on May 9 commemorating the victims of the Mauthausen Nazi concentration camp, the organizers of the ‘Garden of Memory’ campaign have said.
The event at the Mauthausen Memorial has been preliminary rescheduled for June 22, when Russia marks the Day of Remembrance and Mourning, they told Tass. On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union without a declaration of war, instigating what Russians now remember as the Great Patriotic War.
Some 30,000 Soviet POWs and civilians died during the Second World War at the Mauthausen Nazi concentration camp, located 20 km east of the Austrian city of Linz.
More than 160 million trees have been planted in 101 countries as part of the ‘Garden of Memory’ campaign, initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020.
FILE PHOTO: The former Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen in Austria. © Sputnik / Vladimir Fedorenko
- 07:02 GMT
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will be among the top officials attending the Victory Day parade on Red Square and other events in Moscow on May 9, commemorating the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Belarusian leader’s office has said in a statement.
Lukashenko will also hold talks with Vladimir Putin, who invited him to the Russian capital, discussing bilateral relations and international issues, the statement read.
The president will return home the same day to take part in Victory Day events in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, it added.
- 07:22 GMT
Additional measures to protect Russian President Vladimir Putin have been implemented in response to Vladimir Zelensky’s threat to target the Victory Day parade with drones, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
When asked by journalists if the president’s security is being beefed up, Peskov replied, “undoubtedly.”
Putin is scheduled to attend the parade on Red Square on May 9 alongside the leaders of Slovakia, Malaysia, Belarus and other countries.
Russian authorities announced last month that the parade will be on a smaller scale than in 2025, when the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany was celebrated, and will not include tanks or other military hardware. Peskov subsequently attributed the decision to the Ukrainian “terrorist threat.”
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