The Immortal Regiment march was held in almost two dozen cities in the United States on Saturday, with more than 4,000 people taking part in it, member of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of the USA (KSORS) and President of the Russian Youth of America society, Igor Kochan, said in an interview with TASS.
"About 20 cities took part took part this year compared to seven last year. Literally every major Russian city was covered," he said. Among the cities where the march was held were New York City, Los Angeles (California), Chicago (Illinois), San Francisco (California), Miami (Florida), Washington, DC, Boston (Massachusetts) and Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). Kochan voiced confidence that interest in the KSORS-backed campaign had grown compared to previous years. "In all, more than 4,000 people took part in it, that’s for sure," he noted. "Those were mostly our fellow countrymen, natives of the former Soviet Union."
"It is good to see that more and more Americans take part in this event showing increased interest in it," he added. Among the cities where the event had never been held before, Kochan mentioned Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Diego, Little Rock (Arkansad), St. Petersburg and Tallahassee (both in Florida). "In some cities, American high school children worked as volunteers helping to organize the march," Kochan said. The Immortal Regiment march was held for the first time in 2012 in Siberia’s Tomsk. In 2013, some Russian, Kazakh and Ukrainian cities joined the campaign. In 2015, the event became nationwide. On May 9, 2015, when the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany was celebrated, the Immortal Regiment marched through the streets of 500 cities across the world with some 12 million people carrying photographs of their ancestors who fought in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the march in Moscow with a portrait of his father. That same year it was held for the first time in three American cities on the initiative of the Russian Youth of America society.
Putin urges world to fight terror as Russia marks 72 years since defeating Nazis during WW2
In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of Victory Day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Russia's role in the liberation of Jews as soldiers and military hardware paraded across Red Square in Moscow as the country held its annual pomp-filled celebration of the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.
Netanyahu congratulated Putin and the Russian people on the 72nd anniversary of the Red Army's "heroic triumph" over Nazi Germany in World War II, writing of its importance in Jewish history as "the end of the systematic annihilation of European Jewry and the liberation of the remaining survivors from the concentration and death camps in Poland and Germany."
"It is hard to imagine what the world would look like today had it not been for the Russian people's incredible sacrifice. Today, millions across the globe gather to salute those brave men and women who fought to free the world of Nazi tyranny."
Netanyahu made special mention of the "hundreds of thousands of Jewish men and women who fought in the ranks of the Soviet Army," and said that veterans living in Israel would march to commemorate Victory Day.
An estimated 27 million of the former Soviet Union's soldiers and civilians were killed in World War II and the Red Army's triumph in the war is viewed as a huge source of pride in Russia.
Putin on Tuesday warned Russia could defeat any aggressors but insisted that the world come together to fight "terrorism".
"The lessons of past war force us to remain alert and the armed forces of Russia are capable of warding off any potential aggression," Putin said as he presided over the parade.
"Today life itself requires us to increase our defensive capability, but for an effective fight against terrorism, extremism, neo-Nazism and other threats it is necessary to consolidate the whole international community."
The Kremlin strongman insisted that Russia was "open for such cooperation" and that Moscow would "always be on the side of the forces of peace and with those who choose the path of equal partnership."
Under Putin, celebrations of the Soviet Union's immense sacrifice in World War II has become a key rallying point for society with authorities fiercely seeking to control the historical narrative.
"This monstrous tragedy was not prevented primarily because the criminal ideology of racial superiority was tolerated, because of the disunity of the world's leading countries," Putin said.
There "is no, there was no, and there will be no force that can conquer our people," he added.
"We will never forget that the freedom of Europe and long-awaited peace across the planet was won namely by our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers."
The Victory Day military parade is also a major chance for Putin to showcase Russia's military might as the country has poured vast sums into bolstering its forces.
In a hiccup, however, organizers said they were forced to cancel the traditional fly-by of helicopters and warplanes over Red Square due "adverse weather conditions" as heavy clouds covered Moscow.
As soldiers paraded in cities across the country, Moscow's forces at its Hmeimim air base in Syria also held a ceremony.
Russia has been pushing for the West to join forces with it in Syria to battle "terrorism" but has faced fierce criticism for backing leader Bashar al-Assad.
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