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Russia's Ambassador Sergey Nechayev (centre) at the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park
Photo: CHRISTIAN MANG / REUTERS
As usual, Russia's ambassador to Germany laid a wreath at the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park in Berlin on Victory Day.
According to the dpa news agency, the official ceremony was attended by more than 100 people with around 20 Russian flags.
In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine this year, the traditional commemorative events are under special scrutiny.
When asked by a SPIEGEL reporter whether the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine were also being commemorated today, Russia's Ambassador Sergey Nechayev said today's events were dedicated to the "victory over Nazism" in the "Great Patriotic War".
Nechayev said there were other reasons for the fallen Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
"But we think of our soldiers."
Numerous countries, especially former members of the Soviet Union, commemorate the end of the »Great Patriotic War«, i.e. the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, on May 9th.
When asked if he believed Russia would win the "war" in Ukraine, Nechayev said, "Of course."
Then the ambassador added: "I'm talking about the special operation of the Russian armed forces to liberate Donbass".
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia's leaders have scrupulously avoided calling the attack a "war."
Large police presence secures rallies
Around noon, around 1,300 Red Army soldiers gathered at the second Soviet memorial at the Brandenburg Gate and observed a minute's silence, the atmosphere remained peaceful.
At the same time, people protested against Russia's attack on Ukraine in various places in the capital over the course of Monday.
A total of 1,700 police officers were to accompany the many rallies.
The Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk and veterans of the Ukrainian army had already visited the memorial near the Brandenburg Gate on Sunday.
Numerous wreaths were set up on the site, including those from the Office of the Federal President.
A few dozen people chanted "Melnyk out."
Other demonstrators responded with pro-Ukrainian chants.
The police had previously banned Russian and Ukrainian flags, uniforms and marching and military songs at 15 memorial sites.
It is about “preventing any confrontation”.
Diplomats and World War II veterans were exempt from the ban.
Ukraine criticized the ban on Monday.
Berlin had "made a mistake" in doing so, said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
It is wrong to treat Ukrainian flags the same as Russian symbols.
Brandenburg Gate in the evening in Ukrainian colors
However, the federal government announced that the Brandenburg Gate is to be illuminated in the Ukrainian colors of blue and yellow in the evening hours of May 9th.
That was decided together with the city of Berlin, said deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner.
"This sign of solidarity goes back to an initiative of the French Presidency," he added.
In the individual EU countries, individual buildings would each shine in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
He said: »Our signal is very clear, the European Union stands by Ukraine and its people.«
fek/has/dpa