75-Year Victory Day celebration over a Russia in quarantine

Seraphim Hanisch
The Duran
Sat, 09 May 2020 21:27 UTC

One cannot resist thinking that this Victory Day scene is a bit post-apocalyptic. The sight of the yearly military air parade over Moscow was a welcome sight as I watched several formations of fighter planes and a single Tupolev bomber fly over my home in southeastern Moscow. Tuning in to RT's "Ruptly" service online yielded a video presented here in full:

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the 1945 victory of the Soviet Union over the forces of Hitler's Nazi Germany were planned to be be big, no doubt. However, no one planned on participating in a worldwide pandemic, indeed, a pandemic that may be to some degree fabricated and blown out of proportion by people desperately trying to prevent Donald Trump from being reelected this year, probably because he wants to develop good relations with Russia. We will have more on that later, of course.

However, the pandemic is real enough that most of the world is following restrictive measures as indicated by the World Health Organization or similar authorities, and Russia, China's closest ally, is among the nations experiencing a severe and protracted shutdown. This helped change the organization of the event to a much more muted event, oddly very touching, as this year, President Vladimir Putin read his speech next to the Eternal Flame just outside the Kremlin walls, rather than on the stage before a huge crowd of military and civilian observers.

There were some very interesting sights, which no doubt the US intelligence services will try to study, such as four Kinzhal hypersonic weapons, each shown mounted to its launch platform, the super-fast MiG-31 interceptor:

Flight of MiG-31’s over Moscow on Victory Day, each plane carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

The air squadron planes were themselves laden with cameras for some stunning in-flight perspectives:

And this sequence, which is so amazing that the immediate question for many people might be the one I had: How did they DO this?

I looked over and over again for either a drone or some evidence of a camera being dragged that could do this. I could not see the apparatus used so I do not know how it was accomplished, assuming the images are real and not computer generated (If your video player starts at the beginning of the presentation, go to time marker [37:25]).

It is not possible to gauge the mood of all of Russia or even of Moscow. Since it is not possible to travel freely around the city right now, we are presented with these images in a real sense of at least "neighborhood" isolation. But the people visible outside my window seemed to be very interested as the planes flew over us (we are below the flight path of some of the fighter and bomber squadrons), and there seems to be a quiet optimism and pride about the nation keeping its yearly tradition in something like its usual form.

A large Russian military helicopter flies overhead on Victory Day with the symbol of Imperial Russia showing in the foreground.

The "real" Victory Day celebration has been delayed until sometime after the pandemic is considered "over" and the rhythm of life returns to normal. However, the air parade today was no doubt welcomed by a great many people. It is a sight many of us could physically share in common, and not just online, though the presence of this video material online was maximized to be a great patriotic inspiration.

Comment: Comment: More coverage from RFE/RL:

President Vladimir Putin marked Victory Day calling for unity and a dignified honoring of those killed during World War II, even as the coronavirus pandemic curtailed the pomp the Kremlin had planned for Russia's most important secular holiday.

With this year marking 75 years since the Nazi defeat, the Kremlin had hoped to turn already elaborate May 9 celebrations into a platform for Putin to host world leaders and promote what he sees as Russia's rightful place on the world stage.

But the coronavirus has upended political life, and society in general, with millions under lockdown orders, the economy contracting, and Putin forced to limit his appearances to teleconferences with cabinet members and governors.

At a speech that marked his first public appearance in nearly a month, Putin did not mention the virus or its spread in Russia, focusing solely on the memory of the millions of Soviet citizens who died in what is known as the Great Patriotic War.

"We will, as usual, widely and solemnly mark the anniversary date, do it with dignity, as our duty to those who have suffered, achieved, and accomplished the victory tells us," he said. "There will be our main parade on Red Square, and the national march of the Immortal Regiment -- the march of our grateful memory and inextricable, vital, living communication between generations."

He also vowed that Russia would always remember the victims of the conflict, which killed an estimated 25 million Soviet citizens -- most of them civilians.

"We know and firmly believe that we are invincible when we stand together," he said.

Some people defied the restrictions to take to the streets displaying photos of grandparents who died in the war.

Irina Popova, 60, who owns a cosmetics business, told RFE/RL near Red Square that her grandmother always used to take her for walks through Moscow on Victory Day.

"You can't not celebrate this day. It's sacred," she said. "It's good to self-isolate, this thing is dangerous. But I got an [electronic] pass, so I'm allowed to go on the street."

Putin's address taken from Fort Russ News:

Vladimir Putin addressed the Russians, congratulating fellow citizens on the holiday.

"Dear citizens of Russia! Dear veterans! Dear friends!

With all my heart I congratulate you on Victory Day!

For all of us, this is the most important, most costly holiday. We always celebrate it solemnly and popularly, all together.

The spiritual, moral significance of Victory Day remains invariably great, and our attitude towards it remains sacred.

This is our memory and pride, the history of our country, the history of each family, part of our souls that were passed on to us by fathers and mothers, our grandparents.

Today we keenly feel the greatness of their destinies, remember those who are no longer with us, look at their faces with love in photographs of different years, wish our veterans long life, bow before the great generation of winners.

They have done so much for the Motherland that it can't be measured, paid for in any way. They saved the Fatherland, the life of future generations, liberated Europe, defended the world, restored cities and villages, achieved grandiose accomplishments.

We pay tribute to the endless recognition of the great, sacrificial feat of the Soviet people, people of different nationalities, standing shoulder to shoulder at the front and in the rear. Time has no power over their courage, unity, dignity and truly steel spirit.

Dear friends!

Here, at the Kremlin wall, is a sacred place for all of us.

Eternal fire burns day and night in memory of those who died in the Great Patriotic War.

Here lies the Unknown Soldier. We come here to bow to him and all the defenders of the Motherland, heroes who forever remained in mass, unknown graves near Moscow and Smolensk, Stalingrad and Kursk, near Sevastopol and Minsk, Kiev and Riga, near Berlin and Vienna, on the Pulkovo Heights, on the banks of the Neva , Dnieper, Danube, Vistula and Oder.

Millions of the fallen did not see, did not wait for the Victory - the Victory that they so dreamed about, they believed that they would defeat the enemy and return to their native home. And they fought for it, fought to the last breath, gave their lives so that we, our children and grandchildren, those who have not yet been born, who have to come to this world, which have defended, have saved the Soviet soldier.

We bow our heads to the blessed memory of everyone who has not returned from the war, to the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fellow soldiers, relatives, friends.

A minute of silence is announced.

(A moment of silence.)

Dear friends!

75 years have passed since the Great Patriotic War ended. We will, as usual, widely and solemnly mark the anniversary date, we will do it with dignity, as our duty to those who have suffered, achieved and achieved the Victory tells us.

There will be our main parade on Red Square, and the national march of the Immortal Regiment - the march of our grateful memory and inextricable, vital, lively communication between generations.

Our veterans fought for life against death. And we will always be equal to their unity and stamina.

We are united by a common memory and common hopes, our common aspirations, our responsibility for the present and future.

We know and firmly believe that we are invincible when we are together.

Happy holiday to you! Happy Victory Day! Hooray!"