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THIS year's May Day remembrance, hosted by the Russian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, had special meaning as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, was in Moscow to participate in the celebration personally.
The event organised by the Russian Embassy in Malaysia was held in conjunction with the May 9 "Victory Day" last Saturday, as part of a longstanding tradition to commemorate the countrymen who fought against fascism during the Second World War.
Russian Ambassador to Malaysia, Naiyi Latypov, was overjoyed, citing that this is the first time His Majesty, the King, was in Russia to witness the proceedings - a first for both countries.
It also marked a new milestone in the relationship between the two nations.
Latypov said that May 9 brings mixed feelings for Russians: on the one hand, it is a day to mark a great victory, but on the other, they remember the lives lost, especially their relatives.
"It's a special day for us when the joy of our victory is mixed with the sorrow for those who sacrificed their lives on the battlefields. This event today is the march of the Bessmertnyy polk or Immortal Regiment. This day we praise and remember those who struggled against Nazism, against Fascism during the Great Patriotic War," the top diplomat told journalists.
"You see those holding portraits of soldiers with each family having struggled for the freedom and independence of our country, and I'm glad that more and more Russians, who are living in Malaysia, are taking part in this event every year."
The march is a solemn event meant to preserve the memory of war veterans, with participants carrying pictures of relatives or family friends who served during the conflict and is held by Russian embassies worldwide as well as across Russia itself.
The march began at the embassy and ended at the Russia House in Kuala Lumpur, an official cultural and educational organisation aimed at promoting the Russian language, culture, and bilateral ties in Malaysia.
Following several official speeches, participants then laid flowers and wreaths at the monument dedicated to those who served in conflict.
Russia calls the 1941–1945 conflict the "Great Patriotic War" to emphasise the existential, national struggle against Nazi Germany, isolating it from the broader events of the Second World War, which began in 1939.
The scale of the sacrifice by the country was staggering, with some 27 million soldiers and civilians having lost their lives during the conflict. - May 11, 2026.
