Russian president unveils WWII memorial

Moscow, May 8 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Saturday opened a monument to the ‘cities of military glory’ in Moscow, launching celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

The memorial was unveiled in the Alexander Garden near the Kremlin Wall. The ceremony was also attended by Belarusian and Ukrainian Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Viktor Yanukovych and WWII veterans.

The ‘city of military glory’ is an honorary title awarded to Russian cities where soldiers had displayed courage and heroism during the Great Patriotic War. By now, the award has been bestowed upon 27 Russian cities. This title is similar to the Hero City title awarded during the Soviet period.

Russia will mark the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany May 9 with its biggest ever post-Soviet demonstration of military hardware. This year is the first time that troops from other countries that were allies of the Soviet Union during World War Two will take part in the military parade in Moscow’s Red Square.

Victory Day marks the final surrender by Nazi Germany to the USSR in WWII, often referred to as the Great Patriotic War in Russia and other states in the former Soviet Union.

–IANS/RIA Novosti