🦅 On August 1, Russia commemorates the Day of Remembrance for Russian Soldiers Who Fell in World War I. On this day in 1914, Germany declared war on the Russian Empire, and by August 2, had already invaded its territory.
Thus, our country joined the then largest and bloodiest armed conflict in history.
At the beginning of the XX century, Europe was effectively divided into two opposing blocs — the Entente (the British Empire, France and Russia) and the Triple Alliance (the German Empire, Austro-Hungary, and Italy). Each side had mutual grievances, and their subsequent arms race marked the preparations for a large-scale war.
The immediate trigger for the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo. He was killed by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the nationalist organisation "Young Bosnia".
On July 23, Austro-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, deliberately containing demands that were impossible to meet. The Serbian government responded with restraint, accepting many of the conditions, but rejected some key points, including allowing Austro-Hungarian police onto Serbian territory. As a result, on July 28, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
🇷🇺 Russia, long regarded as the protector of Orthodox Slavic nations in the Balkans, could not remain uninvolved and on the night of July 31, declared a general mobilisation.
On August 1, the German Empire declared war on the Russian Empire; two days later — on France. On August 4, the British Empire declared war on Germany. On August 6, Austro-Hungary declared war on Russia. Thus, within the span of a single week, the leading European powers were drawn into the conflict.
The war that had begun among a few European countries gradually engulfed 38 nations. The conflict lasted just over four years but surpassed all previous wars in human history in both scale and consequences.
The total number of mobilized soldiers reached 73.5 million. During the hostilities, 10 million people were killed — as many as had died in all European wars over the previous thousand years — and 20 million were wounded, 3.5 million of whom were left permanently disabled.
🥈 The Russian Empire had to fulfill its obligations as an ally while also pursuing its own strategic objectives. The most important directions, from the country's perspective, were the Southwestern and Caucasus fronts, while the Northwestern and Western directions played a less central role. However, due to treaty obligations, the Russian command undertook a full-scale offensive in East Prussia in 1914.
Under these difficult conditions, our soldiers and officers demonstrated exceptional courage and bravery.
One of the symbols of Russian valour was the defence of the Osowiec Fortress. German troops used chemical weapons — a mixture of chlorine and bromine — killing most of the garrison. To the enemy's shock, the surviving defenders launched a bayonet charge and drove them into retreat. This event went down in history as the "Attack of the Dead Men."
One of the most significant and vivid episodes of World War I, according to many historians, was the famous Brusilov Offensive by the Russian Imperial Army on the Southwestern Front. It pushed Austro-Hungary to the brink of collapse and forced the German Empire to divert substantial forces from Verdun in France to the “Russian theatre of war.”
🕯The self-sacrifice of Russian soldiers and officers is hard to overestimate. Over the course of the war, over 2 million of them perished.
Our country honours the memory of the heroes of those days: in 2004, the Memorial Park Complex to the Heroes of World War I was opened in Moscow, and in 2014, a monument to the heroes of World War I was unveiled on Poklonnaya Hill. In total, 20 monuments and memorials have been erected across Russia and abroad.
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“I did everything possible to fulfill my duty...”
🏅 On December 1, 1896, Georgy Zhukov was born – the legendary Marshal of Victory and four-time Hero of the Soviet Union, who played a pivotal role in the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany.
Born into a peasant family, he joined the army in 1915 and fought in the First World War. He served in the Red Army from 1918, rising from platoon commander to Army General, and during the Great Patriotic War, in 1943, was awarded the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
He won his first major victory in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939. Thanks to Zhukov’s decisive actions, the Japanese army was encircled and destroyed, that became a key factor in Japan’s decision to abandon plans for a large-scale invasion of the USSR.
Zhukov’s strategic talent was displayed in full during the Great Patriotic War (World War II). He commanded the forces that defended Leningrad and Moscow, fought in the Battle of Kursk, crossed the Dnieper River, participated in the Byelorussian and Vistula-Oder offensives, and stormed Berlin. It was he who commanded the 1st Byelorussian Front during the final assault on Berlin, accepted Germany’s surrender, and took the first historic Victory Parade.
🎖 Marshal of the Soviet Union since 1943, three times Hero of the USSR, and two times Cavalier of the Order of Victory. In the postwar period, Georgy Zhukov was First Deputy Minister of Defence and later USSR Minister of Defence; he carried out sweeping reforms in the Soviet Army.
✍️ From Georgy Zhukov's memoirs: “The main thing for me was to serve my Motherland and my people. And I can say with clean conscience: I did everything possible to fulfill my duty… I was living my life with awareness that I worked for the benefit of my people, and this is the principal thing for any life.”
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🔥Congratulatory message by H.E. Mr Anatoly Borovik, Russian Ambassador to Cambodia, addressed to compatriots residing in the Kingdom on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory:
🗣️ Dear Compatriots!
These May days, when Russia, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, our hearts are beating in unison – even here, far away from our Motherland, in hospitable Cambodia.
🔥 May 9th is not just a holiday – it is a sacred day that unites all citizens of our country, no matter where we are. Through years, through distances, through generations, we carry the memory of the heroic deeds of our ancestors who paid a terrible price for our freedom and independence.
❗️I want to say a special word to those who bring up their children far from their Motherland. Tell your children about the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, read books about the war with them, watch movies, take part in events to perpetuate the memory of our heroic ancestors. Your children should understand that they are successors of the victors who liberated the world from fascism.
Today we are once again facing manifestations of Nazism. Our enemies are incubating plans to defeat our Motherland. No matter what, Russia will defend its interests and will do everything to ensure its own security.
Let this holiday serve as a reminder that together we are able to overcome any difficulties and challenges.
❤️🔥 Dear friends! Happy Great Victory Day!
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🇷🇺 On May 7, the Embassy of Russia in Cambodia hosted a reception dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.
Russian Ambassador H.E. Mr Anatoly Borovik addressed the audience with opening remarks: “This Victory made it possible to build a new world order, the concrete expression of which was the creation of the United Nations and the adoption of its Charter. Having realized the horror of a total war of annihilation, the Allies, despite their differences, were able to lay the foundation for a lasting and just peace based on respect for international law. The defeat of fascism also gave a powerful impetus to anti-colonial struggles around the world, and Southeast Asia was no exception”.
❤️🔥 H.E. Mr. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister in Charge of Special Mission, First Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, was the Guest of Honor at the event. The reception was also attended by state officials of the Kingdom, representatives of scientific and cultural institutions, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Phnom Penh, and Russian diplomats.
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❤️🔥 On May 5, the Club of the Russian Embassy in Cambodia hosted a concert dedicated to Victory Day.
In his welcoming speech, Russian Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Mr Anatoly Borovik emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of this sacred holiday. “We have never and will never divide the common Victory over Nazism into ‘ours’ and ‘other's’. To our great regret, today the vaccination against the Nazi plague made in Nuremberg does not always help. The heirs of Hitler's executioners, ideologists of national exclusivity and Russophobia, who have not learned the lessons of history, are already raising their heads without disguise,” said the Head of the Diplomatic Mission.
🔥 Students and teachers of the Embassy School told the audience the history of the Great Patriotic War through poems, songs and dances. The guests honored the memory of the perished with a Minute of Silence.
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🎥 On April 24, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the Embassy of Russia in Cambodia hosted "Panfilov's 28 Men" movie screening.
Russian Ambassador H.E. Mr Borovik opened the event. “Today we screen the movie “Panfilov's 28 Men”, which tells about the legendary deed of the fighters of the 316th Infantry Division under the command of General Ivan Panfilov. In the fall of 1941, when the enemy was rushing to the heart of our Motherland, Moscow, the Red Army soldiers stopped the advance of German tanks at the cost of their lives. Their feat became a symbol of unparalleled heroism and love for the Motherland”, stated the Head of the diplomatic mission in his welcoming speech.
Senior officials, scientific and cultural activists of the Kingdom, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in the host country, as well as the diplomats of the Embassy attended the event.
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🏃♂️ On April 12, the Embassy of Russia in Cambodia hosted the “Victory Run”. Employees of the diplomatic mission had to reach a total distance of 80 kilometers in a collective run or walk.
93 people took part in the event, including H.E. Mr Anatoly Borovik, Russian Ambassador, and his spouse. Overall, the athletes covered 360 kilometers, surpassing the target figure by 4 times!
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⭐ The School by the Embassy of Russia in Cambodia continues to hold events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.
On March 24-28, “The Hero's Name is My Name!” patriotic action took place. Throughout the month pupils collected materials and prepared an information stand dedicated to people who performed heroic deeds during the Great Patriotic War, whose names coincided with the names of the pupils. The children decided to extend the action – at the moment they are preparing a video about war heroes.
Within the framework of the International “Victory Bouquet” flash mob, origami master classes on making red carnations were held at the school. During the session, students learnt why this flower is one of the Victory symbols.
📃 On March 28, pupils of all grades took part in the recitation contest “Their Lines Were Rhymed by War...”. Poems by Alexander Tvardovsky, Konstantin Simonov, Olga Bergholz, Alexey Surkov, Bulat Okudzhava and other poets were performed from the stage. The jury announced the prize winners and awarded them with certificates at the school assembly.
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🏅15 Days Until the VictoryDay
On April 24, 1945, the Red Army launched the final assault on Berlin (Battle of Berlin).
Soviet forces encircled the Frankfurt–Guben enemy groups located in the southern part of the German capital and continued their offensive, liberating settlement after settlement.
By the end of the day 20 locations had been liberated and over 9,000 German soldiers were imprisoned.
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🏅 On March 29, 1942, during the harshest period of the Siege of Leningrad, the first partisan convoy carrying food supplies reached the besieged city. Braving enemy lines, the partisans managed to break through the front and deliver 42 tonnes of life-saving provisions to those starving in Leningrad.
The blockade had been sealed in September 1941, trapping more than 2.5 million people inside the city, including 400'000 children inside. They endured horrific hunger, relentless bombings took a heavy toll, and the harsh winter added to their suffering. The Road of Life had yet to be established.
The situation was also dire in the occupied Pskov and Novgorod regions, where Nazi forces carried out mass executions and deportations to labour camps. Yet, resistance never ceased. Deep behind enemy lines, the Soviet people formed the first partisan stronghold of the Great Patriotic War — the Partisan Land.
Upon learning of the desperate conditions in Leningrad, the partisans resolved to help the starving and freezing residents of the city. In early March, they assembled a supply convoy carrying 28 tonnes of flour and over 14 tonnes of other essential provisions.
To reach the city, the partisans had to break through two heavily fortified German defensive lines: first, the encirclement around the Partisan Land, and then the main frontline. The convoy travelled only at night, hiding their sleds and horses in the forests during the day to avoid detection.
After covering over 100 kilometres behind enemy lines, the convoy successfully delivered vital food supplies to Leningrad. These 42 tonnes of supplies saved countless lives at a time when thousands of people were dying each day.
✉️ Along with the provisions, a letter to the city’s residents was included: “We stand with you, dear friends, comrades in arms... Greetings to you, our hero-city, our mighty Leningrad!”
🕯 The Partisan Land ceased to exist in September 1942. The Nazis burned villages to the ground and massacred the civilians who had lived there. Nearly all the heroes who had risked their lives to bring food to Leningrad perished.
To honour their sacrifice, March 29 is commemorated in the Leningrad region as Partisan Glory Day.
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