| Summary/Abstract |
Speaking at a meeting of the Pobeda (Victory) Organizing Committee on March 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that May 9 is a day of glory, a day of pride for our people, and a day of the utmost respect for the generation of victors. Our country played a key role in smashing Hitler's war machine and freeing Europe and the world from the madness of Nazism. It was due to the courage, heroism and self-sacrifice of Soviet soldiers and all the peoples of the former Soviet Union, who bore the brunt of the war, that Europe was able to embark on the path of constructive development and partnership. To us, the Great Victory will forever remain a source of national pride and a foundation for bringing up the new generation in the spirit of patriotism. We are all deeply indebted to the veterans. We bow to you.
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