Every year since 1945, on May, 9th, people of Russia and all countries of former USSR celebrates the Victory Day. Regardless of faith, nationality, age or political affairs, this day we commemorate victory in Great Patriotic War and Second World War (as it called in outer world).
Is there any other such date? I don’t think so. It was literally a total war: Hitler has claimed all of us a “second quality” people that should be exterminated. So there were no single soviet family which was not touched by this war. The casualities was so severe, we even have no accurate statistics of them. Most often called number is 28 millions of deaths caused by the War. These are not just soldiers killed in fighting, but also ordinary citizens, died in occupation, because of hunger and other war-related causes.
Historically Russia qualifies itself as a non-agressor, at least in theory. Actively protecting own geopolitical interests we are still teaching our kids that we never strike first. As it said in famous soviet-era song “We are peaceful people, but our armored train stands ready on the siding”. And regular demonstration of this “train” is important part of the game.
So once a year, on 9 of May, we are holding the Parade of Victory. Tanks, rockets, troops marching through central streets of big cities, showing the real Russia’s power. I made this photo several days before the Parade, on a general training in Yekaterinburg. This is a T-72, the main tank of the Russian Army. By the way, when in institute (as a part of my high education), I’ve spent three years studying how to repair them.
