If Vilnius in the Victory Day live your normal everyday life Tuesday, at the Metropolitan cemetery in the Antakalnis where there is a memorial to the victims of the Second world war Soviet soldiers, was very busy. Traditionally, as in Russia and some other countries, on 9 may for the most part Russian-speaking inhabitants of Vilnius celebrate the Day of Victory.
Hardly another day in one place it would be possible to observe such a number of people with St. George ribbons, military uniforms of the Soviet and Russian sample, looking out from under the jacket of Vladimir Putin on a t-shirt, veterans and hear the call of the Russian Ambassador to “keep their powder dry”. On the steps of the cemetery man even sold small busts Putin.
The residents of the street Carew, which leads to the cemetery, protesting against this event, hung the flags of NATO.
“All my grandparents fought in the war, it’s important to me, today is the Day of Victory. Grandfather came to Berlin, he survived the war. West is West, and we — we, that they want, let them celebrate, we will celebrate on 9 may. Everyone has their own traditions,” — said BNS participated in the event, Elena.
She noted that the participants of the event the flags of NATO not to interfere.
Unidentified young man 25-30 years said that every year to celebrate with friends “Victory over fascism”.
“We should remember the feat — if you don’t celebrate, forget it. I hope that our children will be noted. Yes, after the events in Ukraine, the symbolism many people do not like it, but it appeared much earlier,” he said.
Police said they have not detected banned Soviet symbols or other incidents.
On the outskirts of the cemetery was a brisk trade in tulips and carnations. At the entrance — banner “Immortal regiment” and the other with the inscription in Lithuanian “long live the victory against fascism.”
“Guys, line up, all gone” he tells the woman to his companions with St. George’s ribbons, flowers and portraits of relatives killed in WWII.
After the speeches during the official part of the event, which was attended by the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, representatives of embassies of other countries, “Immortal regiment” lined up on the steps of the memorial.
The cemetery came and policy. For example, the leader of the Electoral action of poles in Lithuania Waldemar Tomaszewski (by the way, he visited yesterday and official events), and a representative of the Union of Russian of Lithuania Sergey Dmitriev.
SRL distributed among those who came to the cemetery factsheet “Native word”, devoted to the theme of the end of WWII. Also distributed free, and the Lithuanian newspaper in Russian.
From the entrance of people with flowers went to the monument, near which the eternal flame, exchanged greetings. “Happy holiday!”, — heard that here and there. The people were families, companies, there were many young people, but last year there were more people. Seeing the veterans, many brought flowers, took pictures with them.
Was visible and the flags of the neighboring countries. A group of girls went with a large Russian flag. On the question of why the Russian, they replied: “the Soviet, therefore, we are Russian.”
Background from the speakers came the song of the Soviet era on military subjects. Of course, not without “Victory Day”, “Katyusha” and other compositions.
The audience laid flowers to the memorial and eternal flame. “I always put flowers on the graves Snieckus and Brazauskas, when you come in here,” said one elderly man to his companion.
“Did you know that here, in this cemetery is buried the guy we are from the same village,” was interested in the grandfather grandson. Nearby stood the man, nakimushi on the shoulders the flag of the Russian paratroopers.
During the official part, the speakers were allowed a speech on the war.
“Let’s remember those who fought at the front, fought in partisan detachments, suffered in Nazi concentration camps. Remember those who came to Berlin and Prague, and who is not with us today. Soldiers, dying, you saved millions of lives. You who have lost loved ones with the Stalinist camps, brought freedom to the prisoners of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Dachau. You’re not invading other people’s limits, not looking for fame, you were defending the Fatherland and put their lives on the altar of Victory. Eternal memory to the fallen defenders of our Motherland,” the broadcast voice of the speaker in the Lithuanian capital, without specifying what is meant by the word “homeland”.
Yulyus Deksnis, Chairman of the organization residing in Lithuania participants of WWII, who fought on the side of the coalition, in his speech noted that today “a day of rejoicing because it marked the victory over the evil enemy of all mankind fascism, it was a holiday of victory of the USSR”.
According to the veteran, he’s glad he “made an effort to free the democratic the Republic of Lithuania”.
“If not victory, is was this the Republic of Lithuania? Never. If anyone thinks otherwise, then they’re not right,” he said.
Russian Ambassador Alexander Udaltsov cited figures who fought in WWII and died in the war. “Today, in different countries carried out public opinion polls and the young people ask: who won? It is not sad to hear, the answer sounds like — 50% believe that the United States won, 22% from UK, 14% — of the USSR. But we all know who won. And no one can make us think differently”, — he concluded.
The diplomat stressed that Russia “will never betray the veterans of the Great victory and will struggle to avoid a new world war.”
“Now there are many people who like saber-rattling to scare us, so gunpowder, as they say, you need to keep dry. Today was the Victory parade on red square, he looked very sincere and convincing”, — concluded A. Udaltsov.
Ambassador of Belarus Alexander King, in turn, said that “it brought together those people who properly understand the historical events that brought on the unprecedented feat of our fathers, grandfathers and mothers.”
“It’s nice to see so many young people are our future and we raise them. We must not forget what happened in history and to properly relate to current events. Our wall today, it inflames the flames of war, it came so close, as there was for 70 years. Therefore, our task is to preserve peace, tranquility, independence and a future for children and grandchildren. You can not throw them into the abyss of what unfolds,” he said.
The leader of the Union of Russian of Lithuania had stated that he was glad to see the people, “which the world important.” He noted that “our history, unfortunately, distort,” and also urged “to raise one hundred grams narkomovskih for victory” and three times to say “cheers”.
“Glory to the heroes!”, — he finished his speech, after which the clergy dragged out “Christ is risen from the dead, death by death”.
At the exit from the cemetery in the conversation of a few girls of school age was: “I cried. Me as the tears broke through”.
