Foreign NGOs are trying to tarnish the Soviet role in the victory and whitewash Nazism, Sergey Naryshkin has said
Western countries are attempting to disrupt the participation of foreign leaders in Moscow’s celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, according to Sergey Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
In an interview with RIA Novosti on Monday, Naryshkin stated that certain Western governments are trying to sabotage the commemorations in Moscow. He emphasized that the efforts are part of broader Western plans to isolate Russia, in which both foreign ministries and intelligence services are involved.
”They will certainly fail in their efforts,” the director declared.
Naryshkin said there was increased activity by non-governmental organizations in countries like the United States, Germany, and Poland, which he claims are aimed at twisting the history of World War II.
”[Those NGOs] are trying to whitewash the atrocities of the Nazis and downplay the truly decisive role of the Red Army and the peoples of the USSR in defeating Nazi Germany and liberating our nation and all Europe,” he said.
Russia celebrates Victory Day annually on May 9, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. The 80th anniversary is expected to be a significant event, commemorating a pivotal moment in world history.
Western nations have snubbed Moscow when marking events related to World War II since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. Poland has not invited Russian representatives to the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp by the Red Army, being marked on Monday.
Russia has invited 19 “friendly” nations to contribute troops for the Victory Day parade on Red Square, according to Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who serves as deputy to President Vladimir Putin on the committee organizing the celebrations. Ten have confirmed their attendance, Belousov reported earlier this month.
The Kremlin intends to release the final list of participants on May 6. The governments of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Guinea-Bissau, Serbia and Slovakia have publicly confirmed that their leaders intend to go to Moscow for the celebrations. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has promised to make the visit, despite his nation being a member of the EU and NATO.
On Sunday, the Israeli ambassador in Moscow, Simona Halperin, stated her country remains committed to marking Victory Day with Russia. “I want to be very clear: historic facts do not change due to geopolitical and other circumstances,” she told TASS, expressing gratitude to the Red Army for its contribution to the defeat of Nazism.
