Russian authorities have cited security concerns about attacks from pro-Ukrainian forces for plans to scale back this year’s Victory Day celebrations, but some say this shows the Kremlin is nervous about celebrations turning into shows of dissent about its invasion of Ukraine, the BBC reports.
Victory Day, which celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany on 9 May 1945, is traditionally associated with pomp, grandeur, and shows of military might.
One of the day’s most recognisable events is the Immortal Regiment procession, which sees people across the country marching and holding photographs of their relatives who fought in World War Two.
Last year, President Vladimir Putin led the procession across Red Square in Moscow while holding a photograph of his father in uniform.
Lawmaker and organiser Yelena Tsunayeva told journalists last month that, this year, the Immortal Regiment celebration ‘will be held in other formats for security reasons’.
According to a news release on the Immortal Regiment of Russia’s website, Tsunayeva suggested that those wishing to commemorate their relatives should instead place photos of war veterans in car windows, transfer their images to items of clothing, or change their social media avatars.
The BBC reports that some commentators have said that an in-person Immortal Regiment procession could end up highlighting the number of Russian losses in Ukraine.
The report quotes exiled journalist and editor of a liberal news website Dmitry Kolezev as saying that, had the procession not been cancelled, people would have ‘almost certainly come to the Immortal Regiment procession with portraits of those who died in Ukraine, and the number of recent photographs may turn out to be depressingly large’.