Vodka flows on Victory Day
EMBASSY HOSTS ANNIVERSARY OF COUNTRY’S TRIUMPH OVER NAZI GERMANY IN 1945
‘Best way to prevent history from repeating itself is to preserve memories’.
The only rule at the Russian embassy’s Victory Day celebrations this year was: “don’t spill your vodka”. Ambassador Ilya Rogavhev welcomed diplomats and guests at the embassy in Waterkloof this week to celebrate the 76th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War – fought between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945 – known as Victory Day.
The event is marked in the rest of the world as “VE (Victory in Europe) Day, when the Nazis were finally defeated.
Guests received commemorative orange and black Georgian ribbons – a nod to all those who stood against Nazism in the war and to their acts of bravery.
Speaking at the event, diplomat Alexander Arefiev said the focus of Victory Day was on celebrating the heroes of the war.
“It is the most important celebration on the Russian calendar... It also builds a bridge between the younger generation and the generation of heroes and helps to preserve history for future generations,” he said.
Many memorials have been erected in Russia in remembrance of the Great Patriotic War – among them the Eternal Fire, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Moscow.
Arefiev said the best way to prevent history from repeating itself was to preserve its memories.
Rogavhev on Monday thanked the diplomats and guests for joining in the celebration and made a toast to the war heroes. “Don’t spill vodka... just keep sipping,” he said.
Speaking on the sidelines, Russian defence attache Colonel Dmitriy Priimachuk said sometimes
it seemed as though people would rather forget the Patriotic War, which was a pity.
“In June 1941, the Nazi invasion of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics happened. This unexpected invasion heralded the most titanic battle in the history of humanity,” Priimachuk said.
“The war ended with the total defeat of Nazi Germany four years later. This victory put an end to
World Word II.”
He said 26 million people had died in the struggle to liberate Russia and other European countries. “Today, we see some groups of people who want to blame Russia for the beginning of WWII or blame Moscow, reassessing the outcome of the war. They want to rewrite the history and heroic behaviour of our soldiers,” he said.
Priimachuck has been living in SA for more than a year and said he was enjoying it so far. “I braai a lot. The first months of our stay here, we ate so much meat my uniform was getting a bit small around the waist,” he quipped.
However, he has not yet been completely won over by one of SA’s most popular snacks – biltong. He said he hadn’t quite gotten used to the idea behind it – or the taste – just yet. –