PM Modi extends greetings to Russia, President Putin on 75th Victory Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed his warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his countrymen over the 75^th anniversary of the Victory Day, which marks the end of the Second World War in Europe. PM Modi said that India stands with Russia "in solemn remembrance" of the day and noted those tens of thousands of Indian soldiers who fought in the war and died.

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Russia's win in its Great Patriotic War

Russia, which was then part of the larger Soviet Union, along with Western Allies comprising the United States, Britain, and France had defeated the forces of Nazi Germany after nearly six years of war. Soviet forces had occupied much of German capital Berlin by early May, prompting Nazis to realize their ultimate defeat. 

On May 7, 1945, General Alfred Jodl signed the unconditional surrender of German forces to the Allies, which was to take effect from May 8.

The Allies had originally agreed to mark May 9, 1945, as Victory Europe (VE) day, but eager western journalists broke the news of Germany’s surrender prematurely, thus signalling the earlier celebration. The Soviets kept to the agreed date, and Russia still commemorates the end of the Second World War, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, as Victory Day on May 9.

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Muted celebration

President Vladimir Putin marked Victory Day in a ceremony shorn of its usual military parade and pomp by the coronavirus pandemic. Putin on Saturday laid flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier just outside the Kremlin walls and gave a short address honouring the valour and suffering of the Soviet army during the war. The only vestige of the conventional show of military might was a flyover of central Moscow by 75 warplanes and helicopters.

(With inputs from AP) (PTI Photo)

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