MOSCOW — As sunlight bathed Victory Park's memorial complex, dozens gathered Wednesday to pay tribute to those who shaped history. The post-parade gathering, captured by CGTN correspondent Yang Chengxi, transformed the iconic site into a living tapestry of wartime memories and modern gratitude.
Attendees shared stories of resilience under towering statues commemorating the Soviet Union's sacrifices during WWII. A 99-year-old veteran, his chest weighted with medals, drew crowds as he recounted frontline experiences. "We fought not for glory, but for our children's future," he told listening students, his voice steady yet heavy with emotion.
The event highlighted Russia's enduring reverence for the Great Patriotic War generation. Young volunteers distributed carnations while elderly attendees sang wartime ballads a cappella. Historical reenactors staged vignettes showing soldiers writing letters home near replica trench installations.
War historian Dr. Irina Volkova noted: "These informal gatherings often reveal deeper truths than official ceremonies. The personal artifacts people bring—faded photographs, creased letters—speak across generations."
As twilight fell, participants lit memorial candles along the park's central avenue, their flames mirroring city lights across the Moskva River—a silent testament to Moscow's ongoing dialogue with its past.
