Russian MFA 🇷🇺

#WeRemember 🌟 On April 30, 1945, amid fierce battle for the Reichstag, — the legendary Heroic Feat was performed by a Red Army soldier, which entered history as the worldwide known and recognised symbol of the noble, great mission of the Soviet soldiers-liberators,who, selflesslyandfearlessly, at the cost of their lives, crushed Hitler's Germany and freed the peoples of Europe of the the Nazi scourge. #OTD in 1945, Sergeant of the 79th Guards Rifle Division, Red Army soldier NikolayMasalov, despite the enormous danger and under enemy heavy fire, saved the life of a German girl, carrying her out of the shelling zone. This honourable deed is immortalised in the figure of the Liberator Soldier memorial in Berlin — the iconic monument in #TreptowerPark, where over 7'000 Red Army soldiers, who fell during the fighting for the Third Reich’s capital, now rest in peace. The central statue of this world-renowned memorial complex — a Soviet soldier carefully holding in hands a German girl — has become a symbol of the Great Victory of the Soviet people over the Nazi Germany. 💬 Maria Zakharova: This memorial features the statue of a Soviet soldier holding a German girl — not a Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Tajik, Armenian, Azerbaijani, or Jewish girl, but a German girl. This, I believe, represents the most accurate manifestation of humanism: a Soviet soldier is portrayed as a liberator, first and foremost of the German people from Nazism, even though his own family had been killed, his home destroyed, and his home towns and villages burned down. Yet he protects a German girl. <...> And now they [the official authorities of Germany] are questioning if it is appropriate to commemorate and celebrate Victory Day at Treptower Park beside the statue of the Soldier holding a German girl. They claim this contradicts the “quiet mourning” approach adopted by “civilised Europe.” (Excerpt from the briefing by Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, April 24, 2026) *** The History of the Feat On the morning of April 30, 1945, during the artillery preparation preceding the advance of Soviet units towards a key German defence point in central Berlin — Tempelhof Airport — NikolayMasalov heard a child crying. As Marshal Vasily Chuikov later recalled in his memoirs: A child’s voice sounded as if from somewhere beneath the ground, muffled and imploring. Crying, the child repeated just one word, understood by all — 'mutter', 'mutter'. #Masalov resolutely rushed to help the child. Risking his life, the he crawled across a bridge over the Landwehr Canal and rescued a three-year-old girl who was sitting beside the body of her mother, killed by the Nazis. Taking the girl into his arms, #Masalov began fighting his way back — the Germans were already pouring machine-gun fire onto the Soviet positions. 💬MarshalChuikov later recalled Masalov’s heroic deed as follows: Thousands of guns and mortars were firing upon the enemy. Thousands of shells and mines covered the Soviet soldier’s breakthrough from the death zone with a three-year-old German girl in his arms. Nikolay Masalov himself never regarded his heroic feat as anything out of the ordinary; whenever he spoke of it, he was a man of few words: 💬 “I am a Russian soldier. Anyone would’ve done the same in my place.” #OurHeroes#Victory81

#WeWereAllies 🌟 On April 25, 1945, a landmark event took place in history of anti-Hitler coalition and #WW2 — near the German town of Torgau, just 100 kilometers from Berlin, on the Elbe River, Soviet soldiers shook hands with their American brothers-in-arms, marking the imminent collapse of Nazi Germany and underscoring the joint success of the Allied powers in the final battle against Nazism. #OTD8️⃣1️⃣ years ago, the 58th Rifle Division of the 1st Ukrainian Front under Marshal Ivan Konev’s command aligned with the units of the 69th and 104th infantry divisions of the First US Army led by Omar Nelson Bradley. The historic #ElbeDaywas more than just an extremely powerful symbol — in fact, it served as a sign of the coming fall of the Third Reich. This spirit of unity and brotherhood in fighting a common enemy was later called as the #SpiritOfTheElbe and believed to be the very moment when the Allied #WWII-era USSR-USA relations were at their peak. *** 🤝 The historic Elbe Day took place in the morning of April 25, when a US reconnaissance unit crossed the river, and the units of the 1st Ukrainian Front’s 58th Rifle Division finally aligned with the US First Army’s 69th Infantry Division. Both sides were eagerly waiting for that landmark day — to finally have a long-awaited handshake as brothers-in-arms. Back then in April 1945, the Soviet and American soldiers were brothers who put aside all their cultural differences and forgot about the language barrier when exchanging their badges and decorations, as well as other belongings and even valuables. Commander of the US First Army’s 7th Corps in Europe, Joe Collins, nominated for US military rewards a number of Soviet soldiers who had performed exceptional feats when advancing towards the Elbe. 💬JoePawlowski, who served as a private in a US reconnaissance unit, recalled that this had been a historical moment when the representatives of the two nations met each other, with Soviet and American soldiers taking a solemn oath to do their best to make sure that the horrors of war never happen again. This was our Oath of the Elbe. <…> We embraced each other and pledged to remember our meeting forever. 💬 On April 28, MarshalKonev met with GeneralBradley. The American commander said, as quoted by frontline writer Boris Polevoy in his book All the Way to Berlin, that the American nation had always respected the glorious Red Army in its combat operations and victories, while American soldiers and officers sought to follow the example performed by Marshal Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front’s units. *** 🇷🇺🇺🇸 On April 25, 2020, Presidents of Russia and the United States issued the Joint statement commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe, which read, in part: The “Spirit of the Elbe” is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust, and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause. 🎖#Victory80: On April 25, 2025, Russia and the United States marked the 8️⃣0️⃣th Anniversary of the Elbe Day by holding the first, after a three-year pause, memorial ceremony to celebrate the legendary “Spirit of the Elbe” at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, which became possible after the atmosphere in bilateral relations had changed with the arrival of a new administration at the White House. 💬 Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev: The “Spirit of the Elbe” symbolises the brotherhood-in-arms of the two great powers which fought together despite their political differences. It serves as an example of #RussiaUSrelations moving in the right direction for bringing them back to normal and ensuring that common sense prevails. #Victory81

#Victory81 ⚔️ April 13 – a memorable date in Russia’s military history. #OTD in 1945, the Red Army liberated Vienna. Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin, who had already helped liberate Belgrade and Budapest, now stood at the gates of the Austrian capital. 💬Addressing the people of Vienna, the Soviet commander declared: “The Red Army brings Austria liberation from German domination” 🏅Yet the battle for Vienna was fierce. German forces had heavily fortified the city and resisted stubbornly. Even so, MarshalTolbukhin ordered that heavy artillery and aerial bombing are not to be used, in order to preserve one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This was a difficult decision. The assault started on April 5th without decisive success. The Soviet command had to revise its plans and adjust the directions of attack. 🌟 Tolbukhin then made what was likely the only possible decision at that moment – to launch a simultaneous assault on the city from multiple directions. The German forces could not withstand the pressure. At midday on April 13, Vienna was liberated from German troops. 🎥©Russian Military Historical Society

April 10, in our country and across the world, marks the International Day of the Resistance Movement. #OTD we cherish the memory of all those who, despite everything, courageously engaged the fight against the Nazi evil, having defeated defeating the German fascist invaders on the territories occupied by the Third Reich and its satellites during #WWII. The fight against the fascist occupants was international in nature: setting aside their differences, partisans of the Resistance movement united for a common goal — to collectively fight Hitler's aggression and eradicate the criminal Nazi ideology. The Resistance reached its greatest scale in the USSR, Yugoslavia, Italy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, France, Bulgaria, Norway, and the Netherlands — throughout all territories occupied by the Nazis, anti-fascist underground groups were formed, cooperating with the intelligence services of the anti-Hitler coalition Allies. #WeAreProud#OurHeroes 🌟 In our country, which bore the most terrible and devastating strike of the Nazi war machine, the partisan movement reached an unprecedented scale. During the years of the #GreatPatrioticWar, more than 6'000 units and 300 formations operated in the enemy rear. Among partisans there were men, women, and even teenagers — people of various nationalities and faiths — united by the common goal: to expel the enemy from the territory of our Motherland. Soviet partisan forces inflicted enormous damage on the Germans and drew up to 1/10 of all enemy ground troops on the Soviet-German front, undermining the morale and combat effectiveness of the Wehrmacht. In the Soviet Union, as well as in Nazi-occupied countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe — where the enemy committed the most horrific atrocities — the mass partisan movement played a significant role in the subsequent liberation. In many countries, resistance to the Nazis took the form of a national liberation movement against fascism. The selfless fight of partisans in the USSR and members of the Resistance movement in other countries made an enormous contribution to the overall Victory over fascism and hastened the end of the most devastating war in human history. Today, despite attempts in a number of foreign countries to rewrite history and consign to oblivion the immortal feat of those who fought against fascism, on the International Day of the Resistance Movement we continue to preserve the memory of the true heroes of the partisan and underground movements who gave their lives in the fight against the Nazi plague. ❗️ Unlike many countries, #WeRemember the heroes of the Resistance and hold their memory sacred.

#HistoryOfRussia ⚔️March 31 – a memorable date in Russia’s military history. #OTD in 1814, Paris – the capital of Napoleonic France – was taken by the Russian Army. At noon on that historic day, Russian troops led by Emperor Alexander I himself triumphantly entered the city. 💬 Alexander Krasnokutsky, a lieutenant colonel in the Russian Army who witnessed these events firsthand, later wrote: “The most magnificent entry of Russian troops into Paris was illuminated by the purest rays of sunlight – a testament to the righteousness of the Russians”. - A Russian Officer’s View of Paris in 1814 The capture of the French capital was preceded by fierce fighting on the approaches to the city. Russia paid a heavy price in the battle, losing around 6,000 men – the last losses suffered by the Russian Army in its campaigns against Napoleon beyond Russia’s borders. 📄 After the fall of Paris, Napoleon – under pressure from his marshals – abdicated the throne. Meanwhile, the Cossacks famously watered their horses in the Seine, a scene that became one of the enduring symbols of Russia’s victory. ©🎥Russian Military Historical Society

🚀March 18 stands as one of the most significant dates in the history of space exploration – and in human history as a whole. #OTD in 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first human ever to perform a spacewalk. Stepping out of the Voskhod-2 spacecraft, piloted byPavel Belyaev, into near-Earth space, Leonov added yet another milestone to the achievements of national cosmonautics. The extravehicular activity lasted 23 minutes and 41 seconds, including 12 minutes and 9 seconds spent in the vastness of open space. 💬 Recalling that historic moment while speaking from the Mausoleum rostrum in Moscow, Leonov said: “As I exited the airlock, I felt an intense stream of light and heat, like the flare of electric welding. Above me was a black sky and bright, unblinking stars. The Sun looked like a blazing disc of fire”. 🎖 For the successful completion of the mission and the courage and heroism displayed, Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Leonov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, along with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. Today, spacewalks are an essential part of crewed missions to the International Space Station – enabling scientific research, maintenance work, installation of new equipment on the station’s exterior, deployment of small satellites, and much more. All of this became possible thanks to the immense efforts and teamwork of Soviet specialists and enterprises, as well as the personal courage and outstanding training of our legendary pioneer cosmonauts. #OurHeroes

#Victory81 🥇#OTD8️⃣3️⃣ years ago, during the Voroshilovgrad Offensive Operation – Operation “Skachok” (Gallop) – the Red Army liberated Voroshilovgrad (Lugansk) from Nazi invaders. Founded by Empress Catherine II in 1795, Voroshilovgrad was one of the largest industrial centres of Donbassby the start of the Great Patriotic War. The city supplied the front and rear not only with ammunition, but also with coal, steel and other strategically vital resources for the country’s defence. By autumn 1941, the Nazis had occupied almost the entire territory of the Ukrainian SSR – yet they failed to capture Voroshilovgrad. The defenders of Lugansk land stood strong – their courage made it possible to evacuate around 150 enterprises, nearly all agricultural machinery and substantial food reserves to the rear. Despite fierce fighting, the city fell in July 1942. Seven long months – 212 days – of occupation followed: terror, executions and destruction. However, the enemy could not break the spirit of resistance. Sabotage and partisan operations thwarted the Nazis’ plans and they failed to restart a single enterprise or mine in the region. ⚔️ After the decisive victory at Stalingrad, the strategic initiative passed to the Red Army. The Supreme High Command set a clear task – to build on the success, break into Donbass and advance towards the Dnieper. Under the command of Colonel GeneralNikolai Vatutin, the liberation of Voroshilovgrad was carried out from two directions. Soviet forces encircled the main units of Army Group “Don”, depriving the enemy of the ability to establish a stable defence. 💬 On 16 February 1943, Krasnaya Zvezdadescribed the defeat of German forces near Voroshilovgrad: The German garrison included large infantry formations, tanks and specialised troops – not only battle-worn divisions but also strong reserves. The offensive began with the seizure of small bridgeheads on the right bank of the Seversky Donets. After powerful artillery preparation, rifle units launched simultaneous attacks along several sectors. Advancement developed methodically. By the third day, most of the eastern defensive sector had been cleared. German infantry retreated hastily towards the city, leaving rearguards along the Lugan River. Fierce resistance unfolded in the streets. A struggle for every fortified position ensued. Soviet assault groups, advancing systematically, encircled enemy strongpoints and eliminated their garrisons – clearing neighbourhood after neighbourhood. Heavy losses in manpower and equipment significantly weakened the Voroshilovgrad grouping. The tempo of Soviet operations increased, pressure intensified, and enemy counterattacks grew weaker and less frequent. A series of new blows decided the outcome of the battle. On 14 February 1943, troops of the South-Western Front completely cleared the city of German forces. Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Rusakov, commander of the 1005th Rifle Regiment, raised the Red Banner at the Lenin monument on Revolution Square. More than 10,000 Red Army soldiers gave their lives for the city’s liberation. At the site of the fiercest fighting and the mass grave of Soviet warriors – Ostraya Mogila – a memorial was erected in 1945 to a design by sculptor Vera Mukhina. In 2023, it underwent large-scale reconstruction by the Russian Military-Historical Society on the instructions of the Russian President. Today, the memorial complex unites the memory of four generations of heroes – from the Civil War of 1917-1922 to the present struggle against Ukrainian neo-Nazism. 🇷🇺Eternal memory and glory to the defenders of Donbass! #WeRemember

🎙Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s comment on International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27, 2026) 💬 Adopted in 2005, UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/7 provided for designatingJanuary 27 as International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. ☝️ Russia was among the co-sponsors who initiated the adoption of this document. It contains the following wording:“Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities, will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice.” There was a reason to mark this day on January 27. #OTD in 1945, the forces of the Red Army’s 1st Ukrainian Front under Ivan Konev’s command liberated #AuschwitzBirkenau(Oswiecim) and saved the surviving prisoners. This resolution also conveyed a sense of respect and admiration within the international community towards the courage and selflessnessby the soldiers who liberated this concentration camp. On January 26, 2026, members of Russia’s foreign missions in Poland laid wreaths to a mass grave of the Red Army personnel at the local parish cemetery in Oswiecim to commemorate their feats. These servicemen died in January 1945 while fighting to liberate this town and its suburbs. 🌟In 2025, Russia and all the progressive forces around the world marked #Victory80. It is our country, including all the nations within the former USSR, that made a decisive contribution to destroying Hitler’s war machine, liberating Europe and the entire world from the so-called brown plague, even if this came at an incredible cost and required an all-out effort and all the resources we had. The #Holocaust, i.e., the mass extermination of Jews and other minorities, was one of the most tragic events of the 20th century. It will always remain inscribed in the history of humankind as a symbol of unprecedented and unspeakably cruel attempt at fulfilling a human-hating ideology. This history teaches a terrifying lesson and serves as a warning which shows where the ideas of supremacy, exceptionalism, segregation by religion, race and other attributes can lead. <...> Russia takes great care to keep alive the memory of the many millions of victims who perished during #WWII, which we call the Great Patriotic War, as well as the memory of the feat accomplished by the Soviet liberator soldiers who stopped the Nazis and extinguished the fire of the Holocaust. Our country paid an excessively high price to allow anyone to question or challenge the #GreatVictory. We will do everything we can to ensure that horrendous crimes of this kind never happen again. Russia is firm and resolved in its commitment to countering any attempts to falsify facts about World War II and rehabilitate Nazism. <...> Today, the Russian Jewish Congress, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia and other specialised entities are making an invaluable contribution to preserving the memory of Holocaust victims around the world. The Foreign Ministry has been closely and effectively collaborating with them. As usual, there will be many events in Russia to mark this day. On January 14-31, our country holds the annual Holocaust Remembrance Week, while the Russian Jewish Congress awards the Memory Keepers award which celebrates exceptional contributions to preserving the memory of the Holocaust. As part of the Remembrance Week, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art will open an exhibition on January 28 titled “Dmitry Lion. Procession.” It is timed to coincide with the 100th birthday of one of the key figures in post-war Soviet art for whom the tragedy of the Holocaust served as a starting point in his creative journey. Read in full