President of Belarus criticizes Russia’s desire to privatize victory over Germany
During his visit to the Brest Fortress, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that he sees a recent tendency to “privatize victory” in Russia, reported BelTA news agency.
“It is not surprising that Russia is privatizing the victory [over Germany]. As if there were no others in the war - Belarusians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Armenians, Tajiks, and Turkmen. The entire Soviet Union fought…So I look very negatively at such statements that someone achieved this victory alone,” Lukashenko said, commenting on the statements that Belarus “is engaged in historical separatism”.
According to Lenta.ru news outlet, Lukashenko’s reaction was in response to their material about Belarus forming its own victory cult, with their own dates, traditions and symbols.
Lenta.ru also reported that there is an unofficial ban on the Ribbon of St. George in the country, and that in Belarus there is an alternative Victory Day - July 3.
As BelTA reported, Lukashenko “reproached one of the informational resources” that in Belarus Victory Day is celebrated on July 3. According to him, on May 9, military parades are held during Victory Day celebrations in Belarus on special anniversaries. In other years, the parade is held on July 3, the day Minsk was liberated from the Nazis.