On the participation of Ambassador of Russia in events marking the celebration of Victory Day in Israel

On May 9, in honor of the 79th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 Ambassador of Russia to Israel Anatoly Viktorov took part in the flower-laying ceremony at the “Candle of Remembrance” Monument to the heroic defenders and residents of besieged Leningrad in Jerusalem.

Ambassador of Belarus Evgeny Vorobyov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Daulet Yemberdiev, Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), Director of the Russian House in Israel Diana Magad, representatives of the Israeli Association of Siege Survivors, Association of Holocaust Survivors, veterans, compatriots, media also participated.

On May 9, in Netanya, Anatoly Viktorov laid a wreath at the Monument to the Victory of the Red Army over Nazi Germany, and also greeted the participants in the “Immortal Regiment” procession.

The ceremony was attended by Ambassador of Belarus Evgeny Vorobyov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Daulet Yemberdiev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Jahongir Aminov, Counselor of the Embassy of Azerbaijan Emil Agaakhmadov, Honorary Consul of Kyrgyzstan in Israel Dmitry Shkaf, Military, Air Force and Naval Attache at the Russian Embassy in Israel Vladimir Gerasimenko, Military Attache at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Israel Viacheslav Volkov, Director of the Russian House in Israel Diana Magad, Chairman of the Coordination Council of Organizations of Russian-Speaking Compatriots of Israel Max Perelshtein, Chairman of the All-Israel Association of Russian Community Boris Kolchin, representatives of the Association of Sports and Cultural Initiatives ASCEND and associations of Russian-speaking compatriots of Israel, teachers and students of the School at the Russian Embassy in Israel, diplomats, veteran journalists.

On the same day, in honor of Victory Day, a solemn reception was organized at the residence of the Ambassador of Russia to Israel Anatoly Viktorov. Present were the former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Yuval Fuchs, the Head of "Nativ" Alon Shoham, representatives of the Office of the President of Israel, the National Security Council and the Knesset, mayors of Israeli cities, the Military, Air Force and Naval Attache at the Russian Embassy in Israel Vladimir Gerasimenko, Consul General of Russia in Haifa Alexander Budaev, Honorary Consul General of Russia in the Northern District of Israel Dr. Ameen Safiya, Chairman of the Coordination Council of Organizations of Russian-Speaking Compatriots of Israel Max Perelshtein, leaders of Israeli associations of Russian-speaking compatriots, representatives of business and academic circles, media.

Heads of diplomatic missions, diplomats and military attaches of more than twenty foreign countries took part.

The reception was attended by His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), Head of the Ecclesiastical Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia Archimandrite Roman (Krasovsky).

In his address, Anatoly Viktorov noted that our children and grandchildren will always remember those who gave them life, who fell in battle or died as a result of the crime of genocide committed by the Nazis and their accomplices on the territory of the Soviet Union. He emphasized that Nazism in all its manifestations is an absolute evil that has taken root in modern times and which must be fought until it is completely eradicated. He pointed out that today our soldiers continue the just cause of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, honorably fulfilling the mission of eradicating neo-Nazism and eliminating threats to the security of Russia. He expressed confidence that the World Majority treats this with due understanding. I recalled that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the liberation of Europe from Nazism. Emphasized that Israel remembers the Great Victory well.

The full text of Anatoly Viktorov’s address at the reception can be found at the link.