MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Russia has never divided Victory into its own and someone else’s and honors the memory of wartime alliance, Russian President Vladimir Putin said while speaking at a ceremonial reception marking Victory Day.
"It is well known that the peoples of the Soviet Union made the decisive contribution to the defeat of Nazism. At the same time, we have never divided this grand Victory into ours and others’. That is why we honor the contribution of all soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition, members of the resistance, partisans and underground fighters," the president said.
The Russian leader noted that "we will always preserve the memory of wartime alliance and brotherhood in arms." "People of different ages and nationalities, men and women, the elderly and the young were guided through hardship by faith in the triumph of justice, in the right of peoples to sovereignty and identity. And, of course, by love for the Motherland. These feelings remain our spiritual and moral guideposts today," he emphasized.
Putin added that "our peoples are united by a sincere attitude toward our common history, by the memory of those who fought for the freedom of their country and all humanity, and by responsibility for preserving the truth about the Great Patriotic War and World War II, so that future generations firmly understand that love for the Motherland and solidarity among peoples in the struggle for peace and equality are a powerful, all-conquering force.".