The event marking the 80th anniversary of the USSR’s victory over Nazi Germany has taken place in the US, China, and Latin America
Immortal Regiment marches in honor of World War II veterans have been held across the world this weekend, ahead of Victory Day celebrations on May 9 in Russia.
Around 1,000 people turned up for the event in the Chinese capital, Beijing on Saturday, with Russian Ambassador Igor Morgulov leading the procession. According to TASS, far more people took part compared to last year.
A similar rally took place in Washington, DC, with around 200 people carrying portraits of their veteran relatives and red flags. Among the marchers were Russian diplomats and other Russian nationals residing in the US, as well as citizens from former Soviet republics and Americans, TASS reported.
The previous Immortal Regiment march held in Washington was in 2019. The following two years, the event was held online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was followed by a three-year hiatus amid tensions between the US and Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
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Aleksandr Kim, a representative of the Russian Embassy, stated that while the “situation has improved a little, [it] remains uneasy,” as evidenced by “attempts at provocation and other undesirable actions” during the latest Immortal Regiment event in the US capital, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
Izvestia has published a video showing a group of pro-Ukraine activists confronting the marchers and chanting anti-Russian slogans.
In Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, more than 200 people, both Russian nationals and locals, as well as Venezuelan, Cuban, and Serbian diplomats, also paid homage to Red Army veterans.
Nearly 500 people took to the streets of Caracas, Venezuela as part of an Immortal Regiment rally, too.
Similar scenes played out in Istanbul, Türkiye, as well as several Italian cities, including Rome and Naples, over the weekend.
The Immortal Regiment is a large-scale event held in cities across Russia and other nations, in which people carry portraits of their relatives who fought against Nazi Germany in World War II. The idea was first conceived in the Russian city of Tomsk in 2012, and has since gained in popularity.
