ST. PETERSBURG, July 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday portrayed African countries struggling for independence as being on par with the Soviet Union’s war against Nazism as he stressed that both fights were for the sake of all humankind.

Commenting on the role of Russia in the fight against Nazism, Putin said: "That fight was fought by the Soviet Union and Russia in the interests of all mankind, to liberate mankind from Nazism. I’d like to stress that Africa, too, has been fighting for its independence and against apartheid not only for the sake of Africa itself, it has been fighting for the sake of all humankind."

According to the Russian leader, as a result, this fight will improve the quality of relations and hence the situation in the world. "And here I certainly agree with Mr. [President Ibrahim] Traore [of Burkina Faso] that African countries fighting for genuine independence and freedom is very much similar to what happened to the Soviet Union and Russia in their fight," Putin concluded.