Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9

Every year on May 9, Russia celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Germany’s Nazi armies during World War II.

What is “Victory Day”?

Victory Day marks the end of WW II and the Allied Forces’ victory in 1945. On April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide by shooting himself. German troops surrendered on May 7. In most countries, it is celebrated on May 8 and is called the Victory in Europe Day (VE DAY).

This year’s relevance: In his annual speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that one of the main goals of his “special military operation” in Ukraine is to “denazify” the country. The Kremlin’s choice of words is similar to the Soviet Union’s stand against Nazism during World War II.

The parallels drawn with the Second World War were one of the major reasons why speculations around Russia’s actions on Victory Day 2022 keep growing.

Why isn’t Victory Day celebrated in Russia on the same day as Europe?

• On May 7, an initial document was signed in Reims, France, stating that all hostilities would end at 23:01 Berlin Time on May 8.
• On the other hand, Russia claimed that some German troops saw the Reims instrument as a surrender to the Western allies only and that fighting continued in eastern Europe, particularly in Prague.
• As a result, the Soviet Union demanded a new signing.
• A second surrender ceremony was then held in a manor on the outskirts of Berlin late on May 8, pushing the ceasefire into May 9 due to Moscow’s hourly time difference.
• Both texts stipulated that forces under German command were to cease operations at 11:01 pm Berlin Time.

As a result, in the eyes of the Soviet Union, the head of Germany’s armed forces personally surrendered to Joseph Stalin’s representative on May 9, and the instrument of surrender was signed early that morning.