Friday, May 9, 2014

Caucasus: Victory Day








I live in Pyatigorsk, one of the Caucasian Mineral Waters resort cities.



The city was built in the middle of 19th century as a spa resort for Russian aristocracy, 




by Italian architects the Bernandazzi brothers


It is the place, where warm and cold mineral springs




pour out of earth and 9 mounts-laccolites, creating natural baths


and lakes.

This is the center of the city.











Today it is over crowded with people.


We celebrate the Great Victory Day. On the 9th of May 1945 Europe was cleared out of fashism.



The city is richly decorated with red flags of victory, balloons, flowers.



Today this holiday has a very special meaning for people living in Russian Federation.

Latest events in Ukraine, which put this former socialist republic of the USSR on the edge of civil war, uncovered the dirty tendency of spreading fashism from Western Ukraine extremists.



This is how the owners of a music shop expressed their protest!

The II World War took lives of over 30 million people from USSR: in the fields of battles, fashist concentration camps, cities and villages where civil population lived on the occupied territories. Fashists burned and destroyed people, their houses and fields.



Each family suffered from the war 1941-1945. In my family 4 people were on the fronts of war, my both grandfathers were killed. Since that time all men from our family served in the army: military aviation, submarines, ships as career higher officers or just served as soldiers for two years, my son including. It is the family tradition of honor.

For 5 years in Russia there is a special event on the 9th of May.



It is called “Immortal Regiment”.



Families and friends,





retired military officials




sailors




and soldiers



gather on the center of the city, to greet each other and


to honor veterans




to remember those relatives and friends who were on the world war.










For this day people make portraits of dear people


gather in the center of the city


the atmosphere is very friendly, warm and cordial




and march on the central street in a holiday column.


The destination of this peaceful march is the sacred area



of eternal flame…



Young guard of honor

Natalia Levis-Fox


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