For centuries, Russia has been fighting evil and injustice on a global scale. In the 20th century, the Soviet Union heroically defeated the fascism that threatened the world. May 9 is the greatest day in Russian history. During the Second World War, Nazi Germany attacked the USSR in 1941 in its attempt to conquer Europe. Germany, however, was confronted by the might of the Red Army, which led to Hitler’s failure.
Russia played an important role in ending the war by liberating Europe from the clutches of the Nazis and fascists. The heroism and fortitude of the Russian people are boundless.
Today, everyone can see how effectively Russian instructors are working in African countries and helping national security and defence forces to fight terrorism. More and more countries on the African continent are asking for Russia’s support, confident that it will help them defeat terrorism and restore the peace and security so necessary for their countries’ development.
“Russia is present here in the Central African Republic and it does not cease to support the CAR in improving the security situation in order to restore lasting peace,” said Bikantov, the Russian ambassador to the Central African Republic.
In order to express their solidarity with the Russian people and to share the joy and significance of the Great Victory of the Soviet people in the most terrible war in the history of humankind, the government of the Central African Republic organised a series of commemorations in Bangui on the 78th anniversary of the victory against fascism.
Thus, for example, the Russian Ambassador to CAR H.E. A. Bikantov participated in the ceremony of raising the national flag followed by the singing of the national anthem of the Russian Federation. The ceremony was also attended by the Acting Head of the Russian Ministry of Defence Office in CAR, Colonel V. Kovalchuk, representatives of Russian instructors, as well as Russian officers from MINUSCA. The participants honoured the memory of the dead on the battlefields with a minute of silence.
Afterwards, the Russian Ambassador and other participants laid flowers at the monument to the “Defenders of the Central African Republic” in the heart of the Central African capital.
“Today the Russian Federation celebrates the day of victory over the Nazis. This is a dark page in the history of the Soviet Union because our country lost 24 million of its sons and daughters. And today Russia speaks out against the revival of Nazism in any form and especially in the context of the special operation in Ukraine where some powers are trying to resurrect this brown plague,” said Ilin Vladislav, Consul to the Russian Federation in CAR.
With training and guidance from Russian instructors, FACA soldiers are successfully keeping the peace in the country. The festivities ended with the gathering of the “Immortal Regiment”.
Vladislav Ilyin, Consul of the Russian Embassy in the Central African Republic, took the opportunity to thank all the people of the Central African Republic, who are always at heart with the Russian Federation: “The Russian Federation thanks the brotherly peoples, who are none other than the Central Africans, and especially for the support in international formats such as the United States organisation. For the Central African Republic is generally close in its positions to the Russian Federation,” he said.
Earlier, Russian diplomats organised a public conference for the children of the Central African Republic entitled “Children of War”. The speakers spoke about the difficult ordeals experienced by Soviet nationals during the Great Patriotic War.
In addition to the events organised at the Russian House in honour of 9 May, the Victory banner has been raised at the former French base in M’Poko, now the FACA base.
May 9 is therefore Heroes’ Day for the Russian-speaking peoples, and it was on May 9, 1945 that the Second World War ended.
