world

May 9 is recorded in the history of Russia as the day of victory in the Great Patriotic War. On the day every year the Russian people look back on the history of victory with great pride and self-esteem.

At dawn of June 22 1941, Nazi Germany abrogated the USSR-Germany nonaggression pact and launched a sudden military invasion of the Soviet Union by mobilizing huge armed forces.

At that time when the country was at the crossroads of life and death, the heroic Soviet people courageously turned out in the struggle against the aggressors. The officers and men of the Soviet army and other people of the Soviet Union fought the death-defying battle of Stalingrad to defend the city for more than 120 days, marking a turning point for the country to launch a decisive counterattack on all fronts. They also fought bravely to defend their beloved native places and city in the battle to defend Leningrad for about 900 days.

As they cherished the firm belief in the justness of their cause and the spirit of boundless love for the Soviet country, the Soviet people could fight bloody battles for years to finally accept the surrender of Nazi Germany on May 9 1945 and win victory. As a result, they not only defended their country honourably, but also contributed greatly to the victory of the anti-fascist forces in the Second World War.

After the war Russia directed efforts to increasing its defence capabilities to maintain and add glory to the history of war victory in the face of the desperate attempts at reviving fascism.

In recent years, in particular, they have carried out resolute retaliatory strikes against the dangerous anti-Russian policy of the West and the reckless military moves of Ukraine which serves the West as a minion and shock brigade.

It is the stand of the Russian government that maintaining and adding brilliance to the history of war victory is not the work for merely making a fair and correct estimate of the past history, but an essential undertaking for safeguarding the sovereignty of the country and building a powerful Russia.

No force on earth can check the aspirations of the Russian people for finally eradicating neo-Nazism and defending freedom, justice, peace and security.

The DPRK people extend warm congratulations and firm solidarity to the Russian people on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.