Russia’s Immortal Regiment: Marching Backwards
This analysis examines how the Kremlin has transformed the Immortal Regiment, originally a grassroots initiative honoring World War II ancestors, into a state-controlled propaganda tool. By 2026, the movement serves Putin’s regime in its effort to dominate historical narratives, merging Soviet victory symbolism with the ongoing war in Ukraine. Portraits of soldiers killed in Ukraine and Wagner Group campaigns now appear alongside WWII images, fusing past sacrifice with current military efforts under symbols like the Z and V insignia. While Moscow’s official Victory Day parade was significantly reduced due to security concerns, regional marches persisted across Russia. Internationally, the event has become a flashpoint; restrictions were defied in countries like Belarus and Germany, while France allowed controversial processions that highlighted tensions between pro-Kremlin diaspora groups and Ukrainian activists. The article argues that this appropriation turns commemoration into aggressive jingoism, using the dead as conscripts in a battle for historical ownership.
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