Symbols of the Soviet triumph in World War II are impossible to escape in Russia in the run-up to the 70th anniversary of Victory Day on Saturday.
There are the black-and-orange St. George’s ribbons tied to women’s hand bags, wartime TV bulletins from the front line played after the evening news and “To Berlin!” stickers seen on car rear windows.
[…] the holiday has become an increasingly pompous celebration as the Kremlin exploits the memory of the victory to reassert Russia’s place in the world and justify its aggressive foreign policy.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, the Kremlin has stoked patriotism …read more
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
