The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the State of Kuwait hosted a solemn and dignified ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism during World War II. The event was attended by distinguished audience, including ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of various foreign communities residing in Kuwait to commemorate ando honor the immense sacrifices made during the war and to reaffirm a collective commitment to preserving historical truth.
As part of the ceremony, Russian Ambassador to Kuwait, His Excellency Vladimir Zheltov, in his keynote address on behalf of the ambassadors of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan extended his heartfelt appreciation to all attendees for their presence and support in marking this significant milestone in shared world history.
Ambassador Zheltov underscored the critical importance of safeguarding the historical memory of World War II, emphasizing that it is a collective responsibility to resist any attempts to distort or falsify the facts.
He called on the international community to remember and honor the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for peace, asserting that the truth must be preserved and passed on to future generations so that the horrors of the past are never repeated.
In his remarks, Zheltov strongly criticized ongoing efforts in some quarters to rewrite the narrative of the World War II and to diminish the then Soviet Union’s decisive role in defeating Nazi Germany. He called such revisionism a form of political myopia and a betrayal of the invaluable lessons learned from one of the darkest periods in modern history.
He asserted that these actions amount to a profound disrespect for the memory of those who fought and died for the ideals of freedom and justice.
Reflecting on the war, the ambassador explained that in Russia, the conflict is known as the “Great Patriotic War” — a term that encapsulates the depth of sacrifice and resilience demonstrated by the Soviet people.
He noted that it has been 80 years since Nazi Germany launched its invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, an act that triggered some of the most brutal and pivotal battles of the entire war, culminating in Germany’s eventual defeat and surrender in May 1945.
Although the geopolitical landscape has since changed and the Soviet Union has ceased to exist, Ambassador Zheltov emphasized that the sacrifices made by its peoples remain indelibly etched in the collective consciousness and cannot be forgotten.
He described the outbreak of the war as a consequence of profound structural flaws in the post-World War I international system, pointing to European appeasement policies and the unchecked rise of Nazism as key factors that allowed the Nazi regime to gain control over much of Europe before being challenged by the Soviet Red Army.
Ambassador Zheltov went on to highlight the decisive role played by the Soviet Union in altering the course of the war. Despite facing a brutal and massive invasion, the Soviet forces ultimately succeeded in breaking the back of the German military machine on the Eastern Front, liberating vast swaths of the European continent from fascist occupation.
He noted that the Soviet Union endured staggering losses — around 27 million lives, the majority of whom were civilians — and was responsible for inflicting approximately 78% of all Nazi military casualties on the Eastern Front.
He concluded his address by reminding attendees that the Western Allies only opened the much-anticipated second front in June 1944 — nearly three years after the Soviet Union had borne the full weight of the Nazi onslaught.
This historical fact, he argued, underscores the central role of the Soviet people in securing the Allied victory and the need to ensure their sacrifices are neither overlooked nor misrepresented in contemporary discourse.
