During World War II, the former Soviet Union bore the full brunt of the struggle against fascism with 27 million soldiers laying down their lives on all fronts. However, this historical truth is not always viewed in a correct, objective and fair manner. Some critics in Russia said “the former Soviet Union’s great losses during World War II are unjustifiable”. Several European countries even deny historical values of Victory Day over Fascism (May 9).
But the majority of people in Russia and European countries have learnt major lessons from the war as well as its important significance. They have now understood the values of Victory Day over Fascism 62 years ago as military actions in the present-day peacetime could lead to a new fascism.
However, before progressive humankind celebrated Victory Day, Estonia, which was one of the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union, decided to relocate a monument in commemoration of the Red Soviet Soldiers in its capital Tallinn and the remains of Soviet soldiers buried nearby to another area on the outskirts of the capital. The Estonian administration says the monument in Tallinn is merely a reminder of times when Estonia “lived under the former Soviet Union’s occupation”.
The fact is that Red Soviet Soldiers freed Estonia from fascism and during those battles approximately 50,000 Red Soviet soldiers sacrificed themselves for the country. After the victory, Estonia and many other countries voluntarily stood side by side with Russia in the former Soviet Union to rebuild their war-devastated nations.
Estonia’s stance on relocation of the monument does not reflect the historical truth but denies the values and great contributions made by the former Soviet Union people and its soldiers in the struggle for the liberation of countries, including Estonia, from German Nazis. As a result, it has caused tension in relations between Estonia and Russia, affecting stability and economic development in their respective countries.
It is worth noting that several western countries having differences over issues of democracy and weapon control with Russia have voiced support for Estonia’s decision which is worsening the relations between Russia and its neighbouring countries and enabling the public to have incorrect assessments of the Fascism Victory Day as well as contributions by former Soviet Union soldiers in the struggle against fascism.
For Russia, Estonia and some western countries’ move obviously denies the historical truth which has been acknowledged by humankind over the past decades. Russian President Vladimir Putin considered it a plot to re-write history while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called it an insult to history. The Russian FM said remembrance and the values of the victory over fascism are sacred and should remain unchanged forever. That is why the Russian President signed a law on the Victory Flag before May 9 to preserve the original flag with a hammer and sickle on a red background, which was raised above the German Parliament House (the Reichstag) when Red Soviet soldiers marched towards the capital of Berlin on May 1, 1945.
Following Russia’s move, other European countries like Poland are preparing to endorse bills to preserve monuments in commemoration of former Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.
All this is not only to honour former Soviet soldiers who sacrificed themselves to safeguard humankind from the fascist plague but also to help present-day and future generations understand and respect values of the victory over fascism – a historical truth that cannot be distorted or denied by any forces.
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