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"Israeli families and Second World War veterans on Friday gathered to mark Victory Day, at the Memorial Candle in Jerusalem, the monument to the siege and liberation of Leningrad. Footage shows Russia’s Ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, addressing the ceremony, while people can be seen laying flowers at the Memorial Candle in Sacher Park. “Today, we gathered in Jerusalem at the monument devoted to the heroic defenders and citizens of the besieged Leningrad during the Second World War," said Viktorov, whose father was a soldier in the Red Army. He noted that “here in Israel, there are many, many monuments devoted to the participation of Jewish soldiers in the Red Army," as well as the armies of the other Allies that fought against Nazism. Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was subjected to a brutal 900-day siege by the Nazis during WWII. The Memorial Candle monument was unveiled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020 to honour 600,000 to 1.5 million Russians who died during the 900-day Nazi blockade. This year marks the 81st anniversary of Victory Day - the moment Nazi Germany surrendered to allied forces in 1945. It is traditionally observed in Russia and other countries on May 9, while Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) celebrations take place in Western countries on May 8, due to the time difference at the moment of the German surrender. In Moscow, the annual parade takes place on the iconic Red Square. The Kremlin confirmed the parade will take place this year without military hardware due to an increasing 'terrorist threat' from Ukraine. Instead, there will be video footage of Russian troops from the frontline during the live broadcast. President Vladimir Putin declared a ceasefire on May 8-9, while the Russian Defence Ministry warned of a 'massive retaliatory strike' on Kiev if Ukraine tried to disrupt the commemorations."
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