“Today, Hitler’s ideas are voiced in Russian” – Zelensky

On May 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a speech on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, drawing parallels between the actions of the Nazis and those of present-day Russian occupiers.

Rubryka writes about this by referring to the statement of the head of state.

The Ukrainian leader said that the world did not see the threat.

"The world slept through the revival of Nazism – at 5 a.m. on February 24, 2022. And today, everyone who remembers World War II and has survived to this day is experiencing déjà vu," Zelensky emphasized.

As the President noted, an example of Russian fascism is the basement in the village of Yahidne in the Chernihiv region, where the Russians kept the whole village in the basement for a whole month.

"Yahidne, a village that survived the hell of the Russian Federation, is just one example. It's just one village, but it reflects the essence of Putin's vision of the world, his real goals. And his goal is to force underground all those who want to live freely, to force a whole village into the basement, and then another one, and then the whole of Ukraine, and finally, force the whole world into the basement," Zelensky said.

The president emphasized that today, Hitler's ideas sound in Russian.

"Nazi crimes are committed under the Russian flag. The difference is merely formal. The new Wehrmacht that invaded Ukraine wears a double-headed eagle on its sleeves. Kalibrs and Kinzhals are the new V-weapons, MiGs and Su-aircrafts are the new Luftwaffe, a Z symbol is the new swastika, and Yunarmiya is the new Hitlerjugend. There are dozens of similar parallels and hundreds of similar emulations.

And if the modern Kremlin resembles the Third Reich in everything, its end should be identical, taking place in the new Nuremberg – in the city of The Hague," said Zelensky.

The president stressed that, just like in 1945, only a united free world, standing together in an anti-Putin coalition, can hold Russia accountable.

"The residents of the village of Yahidne were held here for 27 days. On March 30, 2022, the village was liberated from the ruscist invaders. On April 19, it was demined by our military forces. This symbolizes that history is repeating itself, and everyone who came to destroy us will eventually have to flee from Ukrainian land," Zelensky noted.

The head of state also mentioned the massive missile strike by Nazi Putin on the Day of Remembrance and victory over Nazism in the Second World War.

"Over 50 rockets and more than 20 Shahed drones on infrastructure in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Ivano-Frankivsk regions. All necessary services are already working on the ground, eliminating the consequences of terror.

The whole world should clearly understand who is who. The entire world has no right to give Nazism another chance," he emphasized.

For reference:

As Rubryka wrote, on May 8, Ukraine, together with the countries of Europe and the USA, honored the bravery of those who fought against Nazism and all the victims of the Second World War.

May 9, 2023, was also the 78th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in the Second World War, which is traditionally called Victory Day.

In connection with ongoing discussions in Ukrainian society about which dates should be given due recognition, the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament – ed.] proposed to make May 9 Europe Day, thus depriving it of the status of Victory Day and holiday.

On May 8, the President of Ukraine, Zelensky, signed a decree introducing the celebration of Europe Day on May 9 in Ukraine.

"We are returning to our state an honest history without ideological impurities. It is on May 8 that most peoples of the world remember the greatness of the victory over Nazism. It is on May 8 that the world honors the memory of all those whose lives were taken by war. It is on May 8 that the Act of Unconditional Surrender of the Wehrmacht came into force," said Zelensky.

This year, those days are being celebrated again amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, when the global threat of Russian fascism is once again a clear and real danger.