Statement by Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations V.A.Nebenzia at the exhibition dedicated to the 73th anniversary of the Soviet Union's Victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War
Dear Secretary General,
Dear fellow Ambassadors,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today we in Russia and in the countries of the former Soviet Union celebrate the Victory Day. It is a special day for us. It has always been, it always will be. As we say it is a celebration with tears.
According to some estimates 28 million of Soviet people sacrificed their lives in that terrible war to defeat Nazism. And in Europe all together estimates go as high as 50 million people perished in that war.
Today we remember our grandfathers, we remember our fathers who fought this war. I personally remember three of my uncles that died during the World War II and my father who didn’t as you see now. My father went to War when he was 17 adding one year to his age, with which he lived till the end of his life, and finished it in Berlin when he was 21. It is difficult even to imagine it now.
We are living in difficult times today. But we have a special responsibility. To do everything we can to prevent anything like this from happening again.
I am really grateful today that you came to celebrate with us this Great Victory Day for all the mankind.
