Russian Victory Day – May 9, 2024

History of Russian Victory Day

On May 7, 1945, General Alfred Jodl signed the terms for Germany’s unconditional surrender that would go into effect on May 8. The Allies commemorated May 8 as “V.E. Day” or Victory in Europe Day to officially mark Germany’s surrender in Reims, France. Joseph Stalin held off on the celebrations until the Nazis surrendered in Soviet-controlled Berlin the next day. By the time Germany signed the Instrument of Surrender, it was past midnight and already May 9, Moscow time. Russia has commemorated Russian Victory Day on May 9 ever since.

Celebrations (if any) weren’t always grand. Russian Victory Day took on multiple meanings and interpretations with every new government. Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin preferred sweeping the occasion under the carpet. The day was a World War II legacy he and his comrades would rather forget, alongside numerous atrocities in their name. Stalin’s disregard for Victory Day may have stemmed from paranoia — that a show of bravado could incite powerful generals in his army to stage a coup. Twenty years passed without Victory Day celebrations.

Things drastically changed in 1965 when a World War II soldier, Leonid Brezhnev, rose to the ranks of party secretary. Brezhnev leveraged general sentiment around the Great Patriotic War to rally support for his leadership. Russian Victory Day became a public holiday. Military parades and grand celebrations were the norm and continue in present-day Russia. Under Boris Yeltsin, Russia’s first elected President, Victory Day rekindled nostalgia for the glory days. The festivities intended to evoke memories of a once-powerful county and military, both of which had become mere shadows of their former selves by then. In 1995, Russian Victory Day became an annual celebration.

Since 2008, Russian Victory Day has not only honored the lives of eight million Russians lost in the war but has also become a display of military might. Battalions and parades are integral to celebrations. Parades feature the latest tanks, warplanes, and nuclear missiles. Victory Day celebrations today speak to the emotions of two distinct generations: older Russians still scarred by the war, and the younger demographic rejoicing in the greatness of a post-Communist Russia.

Most Russians find the ostentatious celebrations jarring and not in keeping with what the day should be about — remembering the sacrifice of loved ones in the war. In 2011, three journalists took it upon themselves to remind everyone by quietly walking through the streets with portraits of family members who died in the war. The gesture resonated with Russians everywhere, and it soon became the Immortal Regiment March. Citizens have since taken to the streets silently every year carrying pictures of loved ones lost to war. The march is a sobering reminder of the costs of war and a striking sight compared to the louder state-sanctioned celebrations that advocate military glory.