(KPL) On May 9 2024 in the Russian Federation we celebrate the 79th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War – the bloodiest and cruelest war of the XX century between the USSR and Nazi Germany and its satellites.

This victory had a decisive meaning for the outcome of World War II, which came to an end several months later, in September 1945.

9 May commemorates the honour of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who glorified their names by defending our Fatherland and saving the humankind from “brown plague” – Nazism.

It would be fair to emphasize the crucial contribution of the Soviet people to the victory over Nazism. It was the Soviet Union that absorbed the brunt of the Nazi invasion, becoming the main barrier in the way of spreading Fascist domination upon peoples of the world.

Three fourths of the German armed forces were defeated on the German-Soviet Front. The Red Army fully or partially liberated Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, eastern regions of Yugoslavia, Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Denmark, north-eastern provinces of China and Korea and entered Berlin. At the same time, our country paid an enormous price for the victory – the total demographical losses amounted to

27 million people.

The victory could only be achieved by joint efforts of all who took part in the struggle against Nazism on the side of the Allied Forces including the aid from the UK and the Lend-Lease Act of the USA which supplied the USSR and other countries with food, oil and military equipment. We remember the feat of Chinese soldiers in the fight against Japanese militarism.

The victory over Nazism remains a lesson to the mankind that is relevant today, when there are still those who are trying to revive this abhorring ideology and rewrite history. Manifestations of racism, violent extremism, aggressive nationalism and neo-Nazism are on the rise in the world. We see how in certain countries they demolish memorials to Soviet soldiers who fought in World War II, erase and demonize the memory of true heroes, create a real cult of the Nazis and their proxies.

Now we are seeing that the ideology of Nazism – this time in its modern guise – is again creating direct threats to our national security. But nobody should doubt Russia will continue to strongly oppose this vicious policy. The experience of solidarity and partnership during the years of fighting a common treat is invaluable heritage and unstoppable movement is gaining momentum towards a more just multipolar world based on principals of trust, indivisible security and equal opportunities for development of all nations and people.

Today we need to learn due lessons from the tragic past. Humankind must always remember the terrible consequences of attempts to establish world domination, promote ideology of superiority and exceptionalism, unscrupulous behavior in achieving one’s dubious goals and the neglect of rules of law and mortality. The destiny of the world cannot be determined by one state or a small group of “elite”. Security should be equal and indivisible for all participants of international life. Erecting a sturdy barrier to the spread of ides of intolerance, xenophobia, racial, national or other superiority is our sacred duty to those who paid with their blood and lives for saving mankind from the horrors of the fascist scourge.

We will always remember the feat of the people who lost their lives defending the humankind from Nazism, we bow our head in cherished memory of those who lost their lives during the war, the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, sisters and friends.

Russia would always stand ready to work together in mutually respectful cooperation, to unite efforts and jointly search for solutions to all existing problems in the interest of promoting peace, stability and security.

On this solemn day the Victory Parade will take place on the Red Square in Moscow with participation of the leaders of some countries and governments. And this year we also expect to cordially welcome the high level delegation from the Lao PDR. The Russian diplomatic missions abroad including our Embassy in Vientiane will also hold traditional actions – “Immortal Regiment”, “Garden of Memory”, “Candle of memory” and “Ribbon of Saint George” commemorating the 79th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. We will lay flowers to the monuments to the Soviet pilots in Vientiane and Xiang Khuang Province.

On the special occasion of the “Victory Day” we warmly congratulate everyone, all defenders of our Motherland today, all Russians and compatriots abroad, including in the Lao PDR.

Happy Victory Day!

Vladimir Kalinin

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

of the Russian Federation to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

KPL