WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2019) Hundreds of people joined on Saturday the Immortal Regiment march in Washington to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War which takes place on May 9.
The Immortal Regiment march in Washington took place for the fourth time, and gathered some 1,000 people. It was joined by people from the United States, Eastern Europe, Russia and former Soviet republics.
The participants gathered at 3:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. GMT) near the White House, and then marched to the WWII memorial, carrying photos of their relatives who had taken part in the war.
During the march the police blocked a part of 17th Street for the rally.
At the WWII memorial people laid flowers.
Some 1000 people joined the event, including the diplomats from Russia and former Soviet Republics.
Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov told reporters at the march that he was impressed with the event and its participants.
"I was very pleased to learn that our compatriots were able to organize such marches in 23 US cities," Antonov said. "
Antonov added that he was pleased that his colleagues from the Pentagon understood the importance of the event.
"I recall my conversations with former Defense Secretary James Mattis, conversations with [Chairman of the Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Joseph] Dunford. They always supported Russian proposals to preserve this memory, to tell people more about how we fought together for the liberation of our planet from fascism," he said.
He added that he did not notice any negative remarks from American people toward Russians.
"Today, when I joined the Immortal Regiment march, I saw the surprised eyes of people. They looked at what we are doing with great respect and sympathy," Antonov concluded.
The event concluded with a wartime songs concert performed by the children of the Russian language schools both in Russian and English.
Peaceful marches are planned in Washington, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago and many other cities and towns across the United States.
The Immortal Regiment is a patriotic initiative that commemorates those who fought against Nazi Germany during World War II. The marches are held across Russia and other countries on May 9, celebrated as Victory Day in Russia and the former Soviet republics. During the marches, people carry photographs of their ancestors who participated in the war.
The rally first took place in 2012, in Russia's city of Tomsk and then spread to other cities and countries across the world. The first US march was held in the city of New York on May 3, 2015.
The number of Soviet Union casualties in WWII is estimated to have exceeded 27 million. The military casualties exceeded 8.7 million.
