War memories tinged with red in Russia

Russians have been evoking memories of their victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in a ceremony that, for some, also commemorates the Bolshevik revolution. The official focus of the day is no longer on the 1917 uprising. But old-style communists feel it should be.

The parade was watched by veterans who, in 1941, marched through Moscow’s Red Square on their way to the front. “For me and all Russians, today is a big holiday, because of the parade held in 1941. It was devoted to victory and the troops went straight to the front,” said one of them.

Former President Vladimir Putin banned the Bolshevik holiday four years ago, but it is still a special day for part of the population.

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