MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th April, 2023) It is becoming increasingly difficult for Russia to communicate with the United States on issues related to preserving and perpetuating the memory of heroes of the World War II, as the Russian Embassy in Washington is being banned from attending events devoted to the victory over Nazism, Russian Ambassador to US Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday.
"I believe one of the main tasks is to tell the younger generation about those heroic days. To convey to young people the fact that thanks to millions of soldiers and officers from the USSR (the Soviet Union) and other states, they can enjoy their life ... It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to reach out to official Washington about the importance of preserving memory and working together to perpetuate the heroes of those times," Antonov said in a statement devoted to the 78th anniversary of the meeting of Soviet and US troops on the Elbe River.
The ambassador went on to say that, for the second straight year, the Russian Embassy in Washington had been banned from holding a traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the Spirit of the Elbe memorial plaque at the Arlington National Cemetery located in the suburbs of Washington. Moreover, in 2022, Russian diplomats were not allowed to visit the Fort Richardson National Cemetery in US city of Anchorage, where Soviet pilots are buried, Antonov recalled.
"Such an attitude is insulting not only for the veterans of the two countries, but also for everyone who remembers their great deeds. We express deep gratitude and take a deep bow to all members of the anti-Hitler coalition who fought for freedom and a peaceful future on our planet," the Russian ambassador said.
Antonov believes that the historic meeting of Soviet and US troops on the Elbe River, celebrated on April 25, symbolizes the brotherhood of the Soviet Union and the US, who fought together against Nazis during the World War II. For Russia, this date is "sacred," the ambassador said, adding that the common enemy had been defeated by joint efforts with "the decisive role" of the Red Army.
"We must not let the previous mistakes repeat themselves. Today, the common task is to fight for peace and security against the sprouts of the 'brown plague,' which have been flourishing in Ukraine and other European countries, against any attempts to justify the Nazi criminals and their accomplices," Antonov said.
On April 25, 1945, Soviet and US troops met at the Elbe River, near the town of Torgau in Germany. The friendly encounter of the two allied armies advancing from the east and west marked the final days of Nazi Germany.
