Russia looks to frame war as an inevitable part of life on Victory Day

By Jennifer Mathers, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Aberystwyth University
Allyson Edwards, Lecturer in Global Histories and International Relations, Bath Spa University

Russia celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the second world war on May 9. But while the cameras will focus on the assembled ranks of elderly war survivors watching the military parade in Red Square, Moscow, the focus of senior officials is on Russia’s children and young people.

Patriotism in Vladimir Putin’s Russia is built on exaggerated respect for key moments in the country’s history. These moments have been chosen to create a specific story about Russia. This is a story about Russia’s military might, the ability of its citizens to endure almost unimaginable…

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