Putin postpones World War II victory parade due to virus
MOSCOW
(AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday postponed next
month’s Victory Day celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the
defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, citing the worsening coronavirus
pandemic for putting off the lavish festivities that have dominated the
Kremlin’s political agenda.
“The risks linked
to the epidemic that hasn’t yet reached its peak are extremely high, and
that doesn’t give me the right to start preparations for the parade and
other festivities,” he said, adding that the celebration will be held
later this year.
The postponement
followed an earlier decision by Putin to put off a vote originally
scheduled for April 22 on constitutional changes that would allow him to
stay in office until 2036, if he desired.
The plebiscite and
the Victory Day celebrations had topped Russia’s political calendar for
months, and the decision to delay both was clearly a painful and
difficult one that followed weeks of procrastination by the Kremlin.
“The May 9 date is sacred for us, but every life is priceless too,” Putin said.
All Victory Day
celebrations across Russia will also be postponed, he added. The
festivities include gatherings of veterans and massive demonstrations
dubbed the “Immortal Regiment” in which relatives of those who fought in
the war carry their photos.
Putin himself took part in those marches, carrying a picture of his father.
The president has
ordered a partial economic shutdown until April 30 and recently warned
officials to prepare for the “most extraordinary” scenarios of the
outbreak, because the number of infections in Russia has grown
exponentially.
The country has
registered 27,938 coronavirus cases and 232 deaths. Officials have
scrambled to secure breathing machines and other essential supplies as
the outbreak has worsened.
Since the Soviet era, Victory Day has been the nation’s most revered
holiday, reflecting the country’s enormous suffering during World War
II. Russian officials have put the nation’s death toll at 27 million in
the war, and some historians think it could be higher.
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