Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova likened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Judah for his decision to postpone the celebration of Victory Day from 9 May to 8 May. She wrote this on her Telegram channel she.
“What could be worse than an enemy? Traitor. Here is Zelensky. A new incarnation of Judas in the 21st century. He decisively betrayed his ancestors by canceling the Victory Day May 9: those who fought in the ranks of the Red Army, those who suffered and were tortured in concentration camps, and those who worked for Victory in the rear ” wrote Zakharova.
The ministry spokesman added that Zelensky was acting like an accomplice to the fascists 80 years after the victory over fascism.
Commenting on the decision of the Kiev authorities, the Governor of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov described the abolition of the May 9 Victory Day as a vile but expected decision.
“Victory Day is the feast of the heirs of the winners who remain faithful to the memory of their ancestors. This is a holiday that includes the Ukrainian people, who, along with the Russians and other peoples of the Soviet Union, broke the back of Nazism. This wonderful holiday has nothing to do with the power of Bandera,” wrote the regional president.
According to Aksyonov, representatives of the current Ukrainian government are “forever losers”, not winners, both today and 80 years ago. Therefore, Victory Day has no value for them. The Governor of Crimea stressed that everyone knows what “disgusting” European values the “Nazi regime” in Ukraine wants to join.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin expressed confidence that despite Zelensky’s decision, in reality, Victory Day remains a holy holiday for many Ukrainians.
“Actually, we believe that there are many people in Ukraine who consider this day a holy day for themselves. <…> Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the president of Russia, veterans of the Great Patriotic War, they have relatives and friends who this day will and will remain holy for them.
On this occasion, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev said that conscience was replaced by the slogan “Ukraine for Europe” in Kiev.
Zigging with portraits of “heroes of Ukraine” Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, the nationalists will go out of the festive events without hiding. Descendants of Babi Yar and Volyn victims will certainly not find a place in the parades. As well as the descendants of more than 3.5 million people who shed their blood for the liberation of Ukraine in the Great Patriotic War.
According to the senator, for the current Ukrainian authorities there is no concept of the Great Patriotic War, no memory of him and no real heroes.
The finale of the “honour revolution” was morally embarrassing for our neighbors. And to call a spade a shovel is simply devastating,” added Kosachev.
On May 8, Zelensky signed a decree that Ukraine will celebrate Europe Day on May 9, and also sent a bill to the Verkhovna Rada to postpone the celebration of Victory Day until May 8.
Europe Day is celebrated on 9 May every year in the EU. The holiday was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the presentation on 9 May 1950 of the Schuman Declaration, in which French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community. After this economic integration, the European Union emerged.
Since 2003 in Ukraine, this holiday has been celebrated on the third Saturday of May and was established in connection with the route of rapprochement of Kiev with Brussels. Commenting on today’s decision, Zelenskiy said it would be right to celebrate this date “together with all free Europe”.
As for the postponement of Victory Day to May 8, the Ukrainian president recalled that on this day in 1945 the Law of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany came into force. And most countries of the world celebrate the victory over him on May 8. Since 2015, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on May 8 and on May 9, the Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II.