May 9 is the day of victory in the Great Patriotic War the Russian people celebrate with splendour.

The victory made a great contribution to rescuing many European countries from the invasion by Nazi Germany and encouraging the world’s democratic forces in the liberation struggle against fascism.

The Russians, regarding the victory as a source of great pride, are directing efforts to adding eternal brilliance to the history of war victory and boosting national strength.

It is a stand of the Russian government that defending the history of war victory and adding lustre to it is not simply a matter of making a fair and correct appraisal of the past history, but an affair essential in defending national sovereignty and building a powerful Russia.

As Western countries more undisguisedly resort to distorting the history during the Second World War and reviving fascism, Russia makes more strenuous efforts to protect its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

Saying that a decision on conducting special military operations was made according to requests from heads of the republics in Donbas and for the implementation of the UN Charter and the relevant bilateral treaties in a televised special speech in February 2022, Russian President Putin announced that the aim of the operations is to step up the denazification and disarmament of Ukraine and protect his country from those plotting to ignite a war against Russia with Ukraine as “hostage”.

The Russians declared the year 2025 marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War as a “year of the defenders of the country” and successfully rounded off the operations to liberate the Kursk region by resolutely carrying out the special military operations in Ukraine with confidence in another victory in the just war. Last April, it completed the operations to liberate the Lugansk People’s Republic.

Today, the Russian army, with firm belief in the validity of its cause, is taking the strategic initiative on all the fronts of the special military operations and boldly advancing forward, smashing enemy groups and reserves.

Russia also continues to develop and make public up-to-date weapon systems to cope with the anti-Russia confrontation moves of Western countries clamouring against “threats from Russia”, in order to display its resolute counteraction will, while putting great efforts into building up its military muscle.

In recent years, it made public such cutting-edge weapons as new-type intermediate-range ballistic missile Oreshnik, nuclear-powered strategic cruise missile Burevestnic and nuclear-powered unmanned diving apparatus Poseidon.

It is also working to improve the combat capabilities of all services and arms and promote cooperation with other countries in the military field.

Nothing can check the aspirations of the Russian people for eradicating neo-Nazism and defending freedom, justice, peace and security.

The Korean people extend warm congratulations and firm solidarity to the Russian people on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.