Dear citizens of Russia, dear veterans, respected guests, comrades soldiers and sailors, sergeants and foremen, midshipmen and warrant officers, comrades, officers, generals, and admirals. I congratulate you on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Today, we are all united by feelings of joy and sorrow, pride and gratitude, reverence for the generation that crushed Nazism.
At the cost of millions of lives, it won freedom and peace for all humanity. We faithfully preserve the memory of these historical triumphant events. And as the heirs of the victors, we celebrate May 9th as our own, as the most important for the country, for the entire people, for every family, for each of us.
Our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers saved the fatherland and bequeathed to us to defend the motherland, to be united, to firmly uphold our national interests, our thousand-year history, culture, traditional values, everything that is dear to us, that is sacred to us.
We remember the lessons of the Second World War and will never agree with the distortion of its events, with attempts to justify executioners and slander the true victors. Our duty is to defend the honor of the fighters and commanders of the Red Army, the great feat of representatives of different nationalities who will forever remain in world history as Russian soldiers.
Russia was and will be an indestructible barrier to Nazism, Russophobia, anti-Semitism, and will fight against the atrocities committed by the proponents of these aggressive, destructive ideas. Truth and justice are on our side.
The entire country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation. We are proud of their courage and determination, that strength of spirit which has always brought us only victory.
Dear friends, the Soviet Union took upon itself the most ferocious, merciless blows of the enemy. Millions of people who knew only peaceful labor took up arms and stood to the death on all heights, bridgeheads and lines.
They determined the outcome of the entire Second World War with unconditional victories in the largest battles near Moscow and Stalingrad, on the Kursk Bulge and the Dnieper, with the courage of the defenders of Belarus who were the first to meet the enemy, with the steadfastness of the participants in the defense of the Brest Fortress and Mogilev, Odessa and Sevastopol, Murmansk, Tula, Smolensk, with the heroism of the residents of besieged Leningrad, with the bravery of all who fought on the front, in partisan detachments and in the underground, with the valor of those who under enemy fire evacuated factories, who worked in the rear sparing no effort at the limit of their strength.
The Nazis' plans to seize the Soviet Union were shattered by the truly iron unity of the country. The heroism of the people was massive. All the republics bore the common heavy burden of the war.
The contribution of the residents of Central Asia and the Caucasus was immense. From here, trains continuously carried everything the front needed. Hospitals were set up here and hundreds of thousands of evacuated people found their second home. They shared shelter, bread, and heartfelt warmth with them.
We honor every veteran of the Great Patriotic War. We bow our heads before the memory of all who gave their lives for the victory. Before the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends.
We bow our heads before our combat comrades who died a hero's death in a righteous battle for Russia. A minute of silence is declared.
Dear friends, almost 80% of the planet's population was drawn into the fiery orbit of the Second World War. The complete defeat of Nazi Germany, militarist Japan, and their satellites in various regions of the world was achieved through the joint efforts of the countries of the United Nations.
We will always remember that the opening of the second front in Europe after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union hastened the victory. We highly value the contribution to our common struggle of the soldiers of the Allied armies, participants in the resistance, the courageous people of China, all who fought for a peaceful future.
Dear friends, we will continue to look up to the veterans, to their sincere love for the motherland, to their determination to defend their native home, the values of humanism and justice. We will give these traditions, this great heritage, the most important place in our hearts and pass it on to future generations.
We will always rely on our unity in both wartime and peaceful endeavors. In achieving strategic goals, in solving tasks for the sake of Russia, its greatness and prosperity. Glory to the victorious people. Happy holiday. Happy Great Victory Day. Hurrah!
