NEW YORK, May 9. /TASS/. Russia cherishes the memory of the victory over Nazism and allied relations during the war, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in a video message distributed by the US organization Friends of the World War II Memorial.
"Dear friends, this spring we all celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Victory over Nazism. The memory of the fight against Nazi Germany and its accomplices is sacred to Russia. The Great Patriotic War cost the USSR around 27 million lives," Antonov said.
According to the ambassador, "The Soviet people managed not only to defend independence of their Motherland, but also saved many European nations from annihilation by Nazis, making the decisive contribution to the Victory. The Red Army liberated hundreds of thousands prisoners from concentration camps and stopped the Holocaust".
"Russia preserves memory of the allied relations with the anti-Hitler coalition countries. The meeting between the Soviet and U.S. soldiers at the Elbe river on April 25, 1945, became a symbol of our brotherhood-in-arms. The event was immortalized at the National World War II Memorial. I am confident that this cooperation experience should be used to counter modern global threats," Antonov said.