Victory over Nazi Germany belongs to the world — not to Putin

May 2025

The 8th and 9th of May mark one of the most significant milestones in modern history: the defeat of Nazi Germany by the Allied powers in 1945. These days do not belong to Vladimir Putin or his regime. They belong to the millions who gave their lives to resist fascism and to the global coalition that united to end one of the darkest chapters in human history.

Victory in Europe Day (May 8) and its recognition across Europe, North America, and post-communist states is a symbol of shared sacrifice and enduring commitment to the principles of freedom, sovereignty, and peace. The Soviet Union bore immense losses — an estimated 9 to 12 million soldiers, with total wartime casualties (including civilians) exceeding 27 million. But these numbers do not diminish the sacrifices made by other Allied nations: over 400,000 American, 383,000 British, 45,000 Canadian, 20,000 French, 8,000 Yugoslavian, and 6,000 Polish soldiers lost their lives fighting Nazism. Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, Armenians, and many others from within the former USSR also made profound contributions to the defeat of fascism.

Today, Putin’s regime attempts to hijack this history — not to honor the dead — but to justify a new war of aggression. Just as Hitler violated the sovereignty of neighboring states under the guise of “protection,” Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014, escalated that war in 2022, and continues to violate international law through occupation, deportations, and mass violence. These are not acts of liberation — they are crimes.

Putin’s war against Ukraine is not a continuation of anti-fascist struggle; it is its betrayal. His regime has weaponized historical memory, twisting the victory over Nazi Germany into a tool for imperialism and militaristic propaganda. The use of symbols such as the St. George’s ribbon, and the militarized “Z” and “V” signs, now associated with atrocities in Bucha, Mariupol, and Kherson, reveals the moral collapse of Russia’s official narrative.

We must affirm a simple, unshakable truth: every sovereign nation has the right to defend its territory, its people, and its borders. Ukraine is no exception. The democratic world, including Canada, supports Ukraine not out of hostility toward Russians, but out of commitment to peace and international law.

As Russian Canadians, we reject the abuse of WWII memory to justify modern-day aggression. We condemn attempts by pro-Kremlin groups in the diaspora to parade under the guise of “memorial” events while spreading propaganda, intimidation, and misinformation.

The legacy of victory in 1945 belongs to all peoples who stood against fascism — not to Putin, not to his regime, and not to those who use memory as a weapon of war.