On 15 January Vladimir Putin held a gathering of the committee for organizing the 80th anniversary of the triumph at The large Patriotic War. He asked the heads of regions and public organisations to "treat the upcoming events according to their conscience".
— Formalism or race for numbers is absolutely unacceptable. Memory is first and foremost specific,” Putin emphasized, not specifying what he means exactly.
At the same meeting, Defence Minister Andrei Bielousov said that the triumph parades organized as part of the celebrations would be held in Moscow, as well as in another cities where the office of military districts, fleets, general armies and Caspian Flotilla are located, specified as Novosibirsk, Chabarovsk and Astrakhan.
They will participate in parades, among others. Ukrainian war participants. In 2024 they marched through Red Square for the first time. In 2025, the year of the outbreak of planet War II, The authorities have decided to pay them peculiar honors.
— In order to commemorate the heroicly fallen participants of the Russian-Ukrainian War, we will proceed to work on putting them forever on the lists of military units, naming them to younger military units, schools and streets, installing memorial boards in Heroes' Avenue," said Belousov at the end of his speech.
In addition, the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences Giennadi Krasnikov and the head of the General Council of the 1 Russia Vladimir Yakushev suggested that 23 cities (such as Kurgan, Kowrow and Salechard) receive the title of “the city of valor of work”. A Ms Anna Civilowa, niece of Putin and Russian Deputy Minister for Defence, while continuing the war between Russia and Ukraine, she proposed that the anniversary be celebrated by a “general Russian game” called “Family Lightning” in which veterans of the “special military operation” would play the function of squad mentors.
"New planet War II"
The gathering of the organizing committee does not mean that extended preparations have already begun for circumstantial events on the anniversary of the victory," said Medusa of 2 interlocutors akin to the presidential administration, 2 regional officials and an administrative worker of 1 of the annexed regions of Ukraine. A political analyst, who besides cooperates with the presidential administration, says that it is possible to prepare anniversary events for 9 May “in a fewer weeks”:
— There is no request to invent anything fresh — a parade, Immortal Regiments, places where they can be organized, meetings with veterans, children's competitions, exhibitions in museums. What precisely to call an exhibition or a competition is simply a secondary matter. The pattern has been worked out for decades, says 1 of the interviewers.
He adds that in the speeches of officials and Members of various levels, in tv spots, in articles on web portals and in newspapers, “it is recommended to mention SWOs, ” as well as “drawing parallels” between the modern war and the large Patriotic War.
— A peculiar military operation is simply a fresh planet War II, as the president and his surroundings see it. “ 1 of the regional officials says anonymously.
Another adds that the authorities do not gotta compare both wars to convince the Russians to go to the front. “ It utilized to be utilized in commercials. Now the emphasis is on wages,” he says.
Continuity of narrative
An authoritative working in 1 of the annexed regions of Ukraine says that the Kremlin would like to "create a symbiosis between a peculiar military operation and planet War II". — It is an component of continuity for him: different generations fighting Fascism “ He says.
The same origin of Medusa claims that the Kremlin has not yet issued clear instructions on preparations for celebration, but only recommendations. Medusa has a list of these recommendations: it covers only conventional events — specified as the Immortal Regiment, exhibitions and concerts. According to 2 regional Kremlin officials, it “waits for suggestions” from them and their colleagues: regions should supply ideas on how to celebrate the anniversary and how local media should study it. The same was actual for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mikhail Svetlov / Contributor / Getty ImagesVladimir Putin looking at the flag with portraits of russian leaders Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin in Ivanów, 6 March 2020.
— Obviously, we'll gotta talk about winning a peculiar military operation. The most crucial question is: whether there will be peace agreements by then Or a ceasefire? If so, then, as a victory, we will present the liberation of Donbas, says 1 of the officials liable for interior politics in the regions.
It is not rather clear how much Moscow is willing to spend on the 80th anniversary of the victory. According to regional administration staff and authoritative working in the annexed region Ukraine has no money in regional budgets to organise large-scale celebrations. — Everything will be modest for specified an anniversary “says the origin of Medusa in the government of 1 of the Russian regions that is acquainted with the plans for celebrations in neighboring regions.
"Somebody large from the USA"
Perhaps the most concrete document, which is already not only in the hands of officials, but besides in the public domain, is branding. However, the state officials and the political losses to which it is addressed criticise this paper in their conversation with Medusa. They believe that if events are organised in accordance with these recommendations, they will not be the 80th anniversary of triumph in the most brutal war in history, but a local vacation in any mediocre region or even municipality.
However, regional authorities must prepare for the anniversary in line with the timetable set out in this document. Therefore, billboards have already begun to appear in any cities (the sculpture of the homeland is visible on them, as well as the slogan “The Pride of Victory”, “Thank you for the victory!” and “The triumph will be ours!”). On 1 April, peculiar markings will appear on public transport. In another textbook (also obtained by Medusa journalists), regional officials are acquainted with initiatives involving the Russian search engine Yandex.
Yandex Navigator users can in a peculiar application hear the voice of russian radio presenter Yuri Levitan and hear the slogans cast by him: “The journey has been victorious!”, “The way has been changed! Our case is right! triumph will be ours!” (probably they were created with artificial intelligence). Moreover, Yandex Music will feature a war song playlist from that era performed by contemporary artists (whose recommendations do not specify), and in online shops you can buy goods designed by Russian designers specifically for the anniversary. It is not yet clear what the goods will be and who their authors are.
However, for the country's top management, it is simply a secondary issue. The most crucial is the parade in Moscow and who from abroad guests are willing to participate in it. A talker akin to the presidential administration says that it will be “a specified set of friends, perhaps individual from Europe and individual “great” from the United States.”
— Trump's engagement is not real, but they can invitation him. The parade may be specified a BRICS 2.0 summit, to show that there is no serious isolation — if it actually shows. surely the authorities will try, says 1 of the interviewers.
