Pobedobesie () is a pejorative term used to describe the "hyperbolic celebrations" of Victory Day in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

. This has been dubbed the Victory Cult. Recently the term has been extended to refer to the weaponization of the legacy of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

to justify Russia's aggressive policies and an increase of militarism, using the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

victory over

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

for propaganda purposes.

Background

The main state holiday of the Soviet Union was

7 November Events Pre-1600 * 335 – Athanasius is banished to Trier, on the charge that he prevented a grain fleet from sailing to Constantinople. * 680 – The Sixth Ecumenical Council commences in Constantinople. * 921 – Treaty of ...

, the day of the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...

, with 9 May not being a holiday between 1948 and 1965. With the

Brezhnev era Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev; uk, links= no, Леонід Ілліч Брежнєв, . (19 December 1906– 10 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964 and 1 ...

, Victory Day became an important holiday partially to help legitimize the ailing Soviet system. Over time the Soviet victory in World War II replaced the

as the "story at the heart" of the Soviet Union, remaining the unifying story also in chaotic post-Soviet Russia.

Propaganda and Putin

Immortal Regiment in Moscow (2019-05-09) 01

Victory Day has become an even more central holiday under Russian president

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

, who according to critics has nurtured a "cult" of the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...

". Russia under Putin has also used the language of

victory of

to justify Russian aggression towards Ukraine. The Great Patriotic War has, according to Shaun Walker of the

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...

, gradually become the "centrepiece of Vladimir Putin's concept of Russian identity over his two decades in charge". Russian propaganda expert and historian Ian Garner, states that Putin has reconstructed the Soviet "cult of the Great Patriotic War" in a "manner that has all the hallmarks of a religion", and that "the state's cult of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

– has been incorporated into

Orthodox Christianity Orthodoxy (from Ancient Greek, Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Late antiquity, A ...

, and vice versa". Julia Davis, a Russian media monitor, describes ''pobedobesie'' as "an unhealthy obsession with military might and past victories". In a speech on Victory Day in 2000, shortly after becoming president, Putin addressed a group of veterans, stating: "Through you, we got used to being winners. This entered our blood. It was not just responsible for military victories, but will also help our generation in peaceful times, help us to build a strong and flourishing country." According to Euromaidan Press ''pobedobesie'' has become "one of the most important parts of the propaganda" in Putin's Russia. Noted elements identified with pobedobesie include Russian citizens "adding a

papier maché Papier may refer to : *paper in French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Polish or German, word that can be found in the following expressions: **Papier-mâché, a construction material made of pieces of paper stuck together using a wet paste **Papier collé, a p ...

turret to their child's pushchair to make it look like a tank, or daubing ' To Berlin' on their cars." In recent years, slogans such as "We can do it again" has become popular.

References

{{Moscow Victory Parade History of Russia (1991–present) Propaganda in Russia Victory days Russian nationalism Vladimir Putin Veterans' affairs in Russia War and politics 21st-century military history of Russia Civil–military relations Right-wing populism in Russia Moscow Victory Day Parades Russian political phrases 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Background

Propaganda and Putin

See also

References