US denies Russian diplomats travel to Elizabeth City memorial ceremony

TheUnited States has refused to allow Russian diplomats to travel to a memorial ceremony in Elizabeth City to honor the memory of World War II heroes. This was reported by the Russian Embassy in the United States on January 12.

It is specified that on January 11, on the 80th anniversary of the death of Soviet pilots - participants of the project "Zebra" on the transfer of seaplanes of the type "Catalina" to the USSR in Elizabeth City (North Carolina), grateful descendants paid tribute to the valor and courage of their ancestors. As a sign of remembrance and sorrow, they lowered scarlet carnations on the water. However, Russian diplomats were banned from participating in the ceremony.

"Being in the United States, we acutely feel the desire of the local political establishment to forget the pages of the Russian-American alliance during the Second World War. A clear confirmation of this is the refusal to approve the trip of Russian diplomats to Elizabeth City to hold a memorial ceremony," the press service wrote in the Telegram channel of the diplomatic department.

The embassy also expressed concern that the West is trying to rewrite history by downplaying the feat of the Soviet people in defeating the Nazi hordes.

"In the year of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, it is especially important to remember the lessons of history, to fight against any attempts to justify Nazi criminals and their accomplices, and even more so to put them on a pedestal of honor," the embassy concluded.

Earlier, on January 11, 2024, Lithuania's new deputy finance minister Valentin Gavrilov was criticized for congratulating his social media followers on Victory Day in the past and for continuing to celebrate the date. He confirmed that he plans to continue visiting the cemetery on May 9, although he no longer posts congratulations on social media. According to Gavrilov, most people who come there with carnations on the memorable date are loyal citizens.

Before that, on December 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the victory over Nazism in 1945 should be promoted as a common value for all mankind.

On October 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow intends to invite world leaders in addition to the heads of CIS countries to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War in 2025. He noted that everyone who wants to come to the celebration will be welcome in the capital.

Theinvitation was accepted, in particular, by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed with Fitzo to go to the Victory Parade in Moscow. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also expressed his hope to come to the holiday.

In 2025, May 9 marks 80 years since the victory in the Great Patriotic War. In January 1945, the USSR army launched an offensive on Berlin. As a result of the fighting at 00:43 Moscow time on May 9, the commanders-in-chief signed an act of unconditional surrender of Germany, which served as the end of the Great Patriotic War.