Federation Council Speaker chaired an IPA CIS meeting to commemorate 80 years of Victory.
Federation Council Speaker and Chair of the IPA CIS Council Valentina Matvienko, held a special meeting of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The event brought together speakers of parliament from CIS countries, parliamentary delegations, representatives of international parliamentary organisations, war veterans, and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad.
In her remarks, the Speaker said that this anniversary dominated the calendar for 2025 – the CIS designated it as the Year of Peace and Unity in Fighting Nazism. “The Great Patriotic War has entered the global chronicle and has become ingrained in the Commonwealth’s historical memory as an eternal symbol of unity, courage and resilience of our nations. This is an unrivalled feat. It retains its status as our common historical core and a moral benchmark to this day,” she said.
Valentina Matvienko voiced her conviction that the Victory’s anniversary was not only an occasion to hold various celebrations, but also an impetus for working together in the future. She believes that IPA CIS can serve as a role model in terms of promoting these joint efforts. “Together, we have already made a meaningful contribution to preserving the historical truth about these events. Together, we can defend the truth about the war and the Victory’s significance, while firmly opposing those seeking to diminish the role of nations who had defeated Nazism,” the Speaker added.
“The fact that CIS heads of state will attend the Victory Parade in Moscow on 9 May serves as a powerful symbol, guaranteeing that our shared commitment to preserving the historical truth about the feat which we had accomplished together and the heroes of the Soviet people yields tangible results,” Valentina Matvienko emphasised.
The Federation Council Speaker went on to highlight the important role of international organisations in this process by reminding the audience that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution titled “Eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War” during its session in March. The global community has also maintained its unwavering support for the resolution on combatting the glorification of Nazism. CIS countries are among the co-authors and co-sponsors of these documents.
“During the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 150th Assembly in Uzbekistan, the Eurasian geopolitical group adopted a statement on the Victory’s 80th anniversary. I am convinced that we need to carry on with these efforts on other international platforms too,” Valentina Matvienko said.
The Federation Council Speaker came forward with a proposal for CIS parliamentarians to explore opportunities for using Russia’s experience in legally framing the notion of genocide against the Soviet people, as well as creating legal mechanisms for perpetuating the memory of its victims. She noted that Russia enacted a federal law to define the notion of genocide against the Soviet people, while the Federation Council adopted an Address to the Foreign Parliaments and Peoples of the World on the Inadmissibility of Distorting the History of the Second World War and Rehabilitating Nazism.
Valentina Matvienko stressed the importance of not only holding top-level commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory but also making sure that they are free from the veneer of formalism and take place in a warm-hearted atmosphere by paying special attention to offering veterans the social care they need. The Federation Council Speaker placed a special emphasis on research, educational and awareness-building initiatives. “Young people should not view these events as something from a bygone past, but as forming part and parcel of the history of their nations and their families. It is instrumental that we use the latest formats and create new works of art. This requires an immense effort on our behalf. We expect Victory anniversary celebrations to serve as an additional impetus,” she noted.
In this context, the Federation Council Speaker mentioned the Memory Train cultural and educational project. Initiated in cooperation with Speaker of the Council of the National Assembly of Belarus, Natalia Kochanova, it has been carried out since 2023 under the Union State’s auspices. Valentina Matvienko believes that parliamentarians across the CIS should support the project in every possible way. This year, it brings together schoolchildren representing all former Soviet republics with a mission to perpetuate the memory of a shared victory.
“We have a shared mission which consists of countering attempts to rehabilitate fascism and confront those trying to wage the so-called war against monuments to people who liberated Europe. Victory constitutes our shared past, pride and responsibility, and we must work together to preserve, protect and develop initiatives that bring our nations closer together,” the Federation Council Speaker said.
St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov offered a message of greetings to the participants in the meeting. In his remarks, he said that the entire nation closed ranks behind Leningrad during the siege, and the city’s residents have kept this memory alive with a sense of deep gratitude. The Governor went on to say that St Petersburg, also known under its Soviet-era designation of Hero City Leningrad, has been treating the Victory’s anniversary with a special sense of attention. “We are united by the memory of the feat accomplished by our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers. Our nations closed ranks in their struggle for enabling future generations to live in freedom and peace,” he pointed out. Alexander Beglov invited veterans and young people from across the CIS to come to St Petersburg this year.
Speaker of Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova pointed out that many nations demonstrated their heroism and valour for the sake of ensuring peace, well-being and building a bright future. They share the same Victory too. For them, it serves as a symbol of courage and resilience and results from an unprecedented effort to work together with a sense of unity among our peoples. She noted that the commemorative IPA CIS session offered a great opportunity to parliamentarians as representatives of their people to pay tribute to the memory of the fallen heroes. “We remember those who sacrificed their lives for achieving Victory with a deep feeling of gratitude and pain, and we bow our heads to every person who took part in this war,” Sahiba Gafarova said, adding that the people of Azerbaijan made a major contribution to achieving the historical victory in the struggle against fascism.
Speaker of the Republic of Armenia’s National Assembly Alen Simonyan stressed that the Second World War left an indelible mark in the history of humankind with all the destruction it caused and its incalculable human losses. “The people of Armenia played an important role in defeating Nazism. More than half a million Armenians fought in the Soviet army across all fronts, and many of our compatriots fought for the Allied armies and contributed to the anti-fascist struggle,” he reminded the audience, and went on to say that the memory of the Great Victory was part of our shared past. Armenia knows that Victory came at a great cost. This is why the country treats the history of the Great Patriotic War with a lot of care and attention. The state inventory of protected monuments to war participants includes over 600 items.
Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the Republic of Belarus’ National Assembly, Natalia Kochanova, said that the memory of the Great Victory has come to symbolise unity and solidarity within a multiethnic Soviet nation. “Belarus stands as a living testament to the horrors of war – it was the first country to suffer from the attacks mounted by Wehrmacht’s divisions. Every third person died, thousands of villages perished in flames or were destroyed, ceasing to exist,” she noted.
Natalia Kochanova talked about the dangerous trends in today’s world to distort the history and outcomes of the Second World War’s by trying to equate the victims to their executioners, liberators and aggressors, while also questioning the verdicts of the International Military Tribunal, destroying monuments and desecrating the tombs of heroes. She stressed the importance of preventing these distortive practices and preserving a sense of historical justice.
Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Maulen Ashimbayev, congratulated all the veterans and home front workers on the upcoming anniversary with the following message: “For all the people of the CIS, 9th of May is special – this is a day of eternal memory, deep gratitude and pride for our heroes, who closed ranks in their struggle for peace and freedom in the bloodiest war in the history of humankind.” He reminded the meeting participants that there were war heroes among the people of Kazakhstan, and talked about the feats they accomplished on the war front as well as in the rear. “The legendary 316th division holds a special place in the chronicle of military glory. Formed in Almaty, it brought together fighters under General Ivan Panfilov’s command, and made a glorious contribution to the Battle of Moscow,” Maulen Ashimbayev said, before listing the multiple events and initiatives in Kazakhstan to perpetuate the memory of the Great Victory.
Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu stressed that the Soviet soldier accomplished the unrivalled feat. In a world with all its new challenges, he said, the memory of Victory in the Great Patriotic War stands as a universal reminder that we can overcome any obstacle. “Unity, solidarity and mutual respect are the values that saved us back in the day. These will also help preserve peace today. Inculcating a sense of patriotism on young people, along with teaching them to respect the elderly and exercise a sense of responsibility when building their future has special importance. Youngsters must know the price of freedom,” he emphasised.
Speaker of Majlisi Milli of Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan, Rustam Emomali, said that even 80 years after the Great Victory, this day remained an important date. It brings together our countries and nations and serves as a symbol of unity, solidarity and resilience in the face of major challenges. “Today, we take pride in marking the Great Victory’s anniversary – every nation, every former Soviet republic contributed to achieving it in its own meaningful way,” he said, and went on to talk about the contribution by the people of Tajikistan to the war effort on the battlefield and behind the lines.
In her remarks, Speaker of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbaeva said that the Victory in World War II was a shared victory for all the progressive forces around the world. “We will always remember the feats accomplished by our fathers and mothers, all those who made a meaningful contribution to saving the world from fascism,” she noted, adding that holding massive Victory Day celebrations on 9 May has become a tradition for Uzbekistan. “We call this national holiday in our country the Day of Memory and Honour. Its main purpose consists of celebrating and demonstrating respect for the veterans of war and labour who made a tangible contribution to achieving Victory in World War II,” she said.
Speakers at the meeting included First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergei Lebedev, Head of Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for Russia and Belarus Boris Michel, Vice President of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) Edgar De León, Chair of the People of Leningrad under Siege, a civil society organisation from St Petersburg, Yelena Tikhomirova, as well as the Chair of the St Petersburg Association for the Veterans (Retirees, People with Disabilities) of War, Labour, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies Vasily Volobuyev, and Executive Secretary of the Youth CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Margarita Levina.
The meeting included a stamp cancelling ceremony as part of the Memory Train initiative. Valentina Matvienko and Natalia Kochanova took part in it. Both countries intend to release stamps with images of the Memory Train and the project’s logo on the same day.
In her concluding remarks, Valentina Matvienko said that all the participants spoke out in favour of preserving the historical truth and shielding the historical memory from any attempts to distort it, while passing it on to future generations. “We represent the countries of the CIS and reaffirm our commitment to combatting any attempts to revive Nazism and fascism, countering the war on monuments, the glorification of Nazis and their accomplices. We must prevent and stand in the way of any effort to revive this evil, as well as counter ideology of racial, ethnic or any other kind of supremacy. And we have what it takes to deliver on this vision,” she pointed out.
The meeting was followed by a concert titled The Music of Great Victory. Its programme included songs on the Great Patriotic War, with all the participants and spectators joining together to sing Victory Day at the end of the concert.
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In addition to this, a photo exhibition titled The Doctors of Great Victory opened at the Tauride Palace. It shows the heroic deeds of the medical workers from all Soviet republics who helped fighters recover and return to the battlefield, fought epidemics and ensured sanitation.
Organised by the Filatov International Foundation for Biomedical Technology, the exhibition has benefited from the support of the Presidential National Centre for Historical Memory and the Museum of Military Medicine.