People wear St. George’s ribbons to signify their remembering of family members they lost during the battles against the Nazis who invaded the country from the West. The Soviet Union faced the severest casualties of any nation with estimates of from 20 million to more than 25 million people dead on the Russian side.
Russian citizens march in Victory Day parades across the country, and in Blago, carrying pictures of their family members that took part in the war. This Immortal Army marches every year and carries the memories of family, sacrifice and war with it. For many Russians, this celebration is second only to New Year’s Eve in importance, and it is celebrated in much more sober ways.
See photos from Victory Day preparations 2016.
See video from Victory Day preparations 2016.
Photos from the 2016 Victory Day parade in Blago.
See video from the Victory Day parade 2016.