Two demonstrations took place today for May 9 – also known ass Victory Day, a celebration of the end of WWII and the surrender of Nazi Germany. Several dozen people came out for a march of the Immortal Regiment which is being held in Georgia for the first time. Much of the public believes that the demonstration is part of a Russian propaganda campaign, and thus a number of activists came out in protest of the march. •Only a handful of Georgian veterans remain Some participants held not only portraits of relatives killed in the war, but also portraits of Stalin and red Soviet flags – despite the ban in Georgia on the use of Soviet symbols. Between the participants of both demonstrations, police cordons were set up in Vake Park. One of the participants of the “counter-demonstration” was detained. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he tried to hit participants of the march with a flag pole. This morning, veterans, politicians, government officials and the public gathered in Vake Park to honor the memory of those killed in the Second World War.<doc-sep>RIGA - The so-called Immortal Regiment march which took place in Pardaugava, Riga, May 9 afternoon to remember people who died in World War II, gathered at least 2,000 participants, LETA observed. Most of the marchers were middle-aged or elderly people, although some of them had taken children along. Several participants of the procession carried pictures of solders fallen in World War II. Others held balloons and flags of Latvia’s Russian Union which were handed out before the event started. So far, the march has been taking place without incidents. As reported, several hundred people laid flowers at Victory Park monument in Riga's Pardaugava this morning to mark the May 9 Soviet Victory Day which is mostly celebrated in Russia, LETA observed. Like every year, a large public gathering which includes musical and dance performances by local and foreign artists is taking place in Victory Park throughout Thursday. The Victory Day is celebrated in Russia and some other former Soviet Union countries on May 9, the anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Nazi army in World War II. Elsewhere in Europe, including Latvia, the defeat of Nazism is celebrated on May 8, the date that World War II allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. On May 9, Latvia officially celebrates Europe Day. Latvia's Russian-speakers widely celebrate the Victory Day on May 9 while ethnic Latvians tend to scorn this celebration because for Latvians this date means the beginning of the decades-long Soviet occupation.<doc-sep>Massive crowds took to the streets in Moscow with portraits of their relatives who fought and defeated the Nazis during WWII. It is a Victory Day tradition in Russia, where the war left almost no family untouched. Countless people, some of them sporting replicas of Soviet military uniforms, walked together through the capital’s main street and entered the iconic Red Square where the Victory parade concluded a few hours earlier. They carried old photographs of their relatives, who participated in WWII, many waving flags of Russia and the USSR. That said, US and British banners also flew high in Moscow, with people paying tribute to the Western allies in the battle against the Nazis. President Vladimir Putin joined the rally, holding a portrait of his father who volunteered to join the military and was severely wounded while fighting to lift the German blockade of Leningrad. Even the heavy rain and hail, which hit Moscow later in the day, wasn’t enough to make people disperse. Many knew the weather forecast and had umbrellas and raincoats at the ready. Launched in 2011, the Immortal Regiment tradition continues to grow in strength and has gained popularity internationally. More than 10 million people took to the streets in Russia on May 9, 2018, setting an all-time record. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!<doc-sep>Nationalists in Kiev sought to ridicule the Immortal Regiment march by photoshopping Soviet military uniforms on Marvel’s Avengers. The joke was on them, as the soldiers who fought to defeat the Nazis were real-life superheroes. Millions in Russia and abroad took to the streets with portraits of their relatives who took part in World War II, or the Great Motherland War as it is known in the former Soviet Union. The international action, known as the Immortal Regiment march, began in 2012 and has since become a tradition that follows the military parade on May 9. Despite the Ukrainian authorities frowning on the practice and preferring to celebrate “Europe Day” instead, the Immortal Regiment march was held on Thursday in Kiev as well, gathering several thousand participants. But the nationalists in Kiev organized a march of their own on Victory Day, and prepared thoroughly for it by printing out portraits of the characters from cinematic blockbuster ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ which is currently breaking world box-office records. Marvel’s superheroes were photoshopped into Soviet military uniforms of the WWII era, while a Ukrainian twist was also given to their names. The posters carried by dozens of demonstrators in the Ukrainian capital featured Major Starkov, Captain Amerikov, Sergent Hulkov, Doctor Strangenko, Sergant Lokienko, Private Gamora, Partisan Grootenko, among others. The arch-villain Thanos also made an appearance, with the highest possible rank of generalissimo. The organizers said they wanted to make fun of the Immortal Regiment, but may have inadvertently paid a massive compliment to those who defeated the Nazis. The Avengers stood for good and sacrificed a lot to protect humanity and life itself from unimaginable evil – a description that perfectly fits the soldiers from all over the USSR – including Ukraine – who foiled Hitler’s plans of world domination in WWII. Another symbol of victory against the Nazis in 1945 – the orange-and-black Saint George ribbons – was under attack in Ukraine as well. Kiev introduced a special law to ban their display in 2017. Also on rt.com Hundreds of thousands join Immortal Regiment march in Moscow to honor WWII heroes (PHOTO, VIDEO) Those seen sporting such symbols are subject to a fine of up to 2500 hryvna (around $100) or a 15-day administrative arrest in case of a repeat violation. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said it detained and charged 13 people for wearing Saint George ribbons on May 9. Two citizens of Moldova were also denied entry to Ukraine, after the ribbons were discovered on them by vigilant border guards on Wednesday. They will be barred from visiting Ukraine for the next three years. Like this story? Share it with a friend!<doc-sep>
People from across the world have taken part in annual Immortal Regiment marches, carrying photos of their relatives and commemorating WWII heroes in emotional Victory Day festivities. Of course, the biggest Immortal Regiment march is always in Moscow (a record one million people, including President Vladimir Putin, marched in the Russian capital in 2018) — but from New York to London, Tokyo and Melbourne, smaller parades are held across the world every year for the May 9 celebration of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. This year, a group of Russians stationed at the Vostok research station in Antarctica even managed to get in on the action, posting photos from the South Pole in fairly chilly -68 degree Celsius weather conditions. Для "Бессмертного полка" и -68°C не помеха. Антарктическая станция "Восток" pic.twitter.com/0p7YX78CcC — Вежливые люди (@vezhlivo) May 9, 2019 In Berlin, marchers made their way from the Brandenburg Gate to the Soviet War Memorial in the Tiergarten public park. Londoners also took to rainy streets on Thursday to celebrate, carrying Russian and Soviet flags along with portraits of family members who fought in the war. Memorial marches were also held in Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Melbourne, Buenos Aires and Athens, among others. Russian embassies posted photos of gatherings at the Soviet war memorials in Austria, Malta and Denmark. ... while Russian news channel Vesti captured video from Immortal Regiment marches in Tokyo. The ‘Immortal Regiment’ began as a local event in the Siberian city of Tyumen in 2007 and has since ballooned across Russia and the rest of the world into an annual tradition commemorating those who fought in the war. Like this story? Share it with a friend!