Ukraine celebrated the 65th anniversary of the glorious victory of the Soviet Army and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Victory Day parade brought together Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian military forces in a single march in the heart of Ukraine’s capital on Kreshchatyk Street on May 9, followed by the traditional parade of military equipment. Soviet-era T-34 tank maneuvers took place during the anniversary commemoration. Ukrainian women dressed as Red Army medical officers took part in the procession and the excitement of children playing at the parade was noticed by veterans. The cult of Josef Stalin, the Soviet despot and one of the 20th century's greatest mass murderers, also made an appearance at the parade. Stalin entered a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany in 1939, but went on to lead the Soviet Union in ultimate military triumph after the Nazi invasion of June 1941. A veteran carries a portrait of Stalin to keep alive memories of the dictator. Ukrainians suffered more than anyone else during the war. An estimated eight million Ukrainians lost their lives; another two million were forced into exile or imprisoned; a quarter of the population was lost. Celebrations were just as festive in the regions. A Soviet veteran triumphantly waves the navy flag of the vanquished empire during commemorations of World War II at the hero city of Sevastopol, which will be home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet until at least 2042, under a new agreement between Ukraine and Russia. – Story by Nataliya Bugayova. Photos by Yaroslav Debelyi, AP and Ukrainian Photo.
Photo
