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Russians observe traditional minute of silence

The Soviet Union suffered the heaviest losses, 26.6 million people according to official figures, in WWII
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) — Russians observed a minute of silence in memory of those who died in the struggle against fascism during WWII. All federal and local television channels and radio station interrupted their broadcasts at 18:55 Moscow time for five minutes. The minute of silence started after the strike of a clock on the Kremlin’s Spasskaya tower.

The minute of silence has been one of the rituals of Victory Day commemorations since 1965.

The Soviet Union suffered the heaviest losses, 26.6 million people according to official figures, in WWII.

Russian railway workers also paid homage to compatriots who died during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

All locomotives in Russia gave a long drawling whistle when the minute of silence was announced.

More than 100,000 railway workers died in battles during the war.