WW2 veterans receive Russian medals

WW2 veterans receive Russian medals

The occasion was the upcoming Russian Armed Forces Day - Defender of the Fatherland Day, February 23 - and the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War victory.

The recipients include Milan Atelevic, Milisav Djuric, Zivojin Dobricic, Dragica Ilincic, Stanislav Kolarevic, Dragoljub Lazic, Milisav Lukic, Dragica Milosavljevic, Milos Milikic, Jovo Miskovic, Branko Nikolic, Velimir Ostojic, Jovan Radovanovic, Milan Runjic, Zarko Tesic, and Jordan Filipovic.

The Russian embassy staff told reporters that those former members of Partisan units who live in Belgrade were decorated on Thursday, while others from elsewhere in Serbia, if located by Victory Day, May 9, will be recognized in the same way.

Those veterans who have Soviet or Russian state awards and jubilee awards for their participation in the Second World War qualify for the honor.

The veterans received their medals from Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Chepurin, who said the Defender of the Fatherland Day holiday was "a symbol of respect toward soldiers, and of the unwavering Russian Army," and added that the courage of Russian and Serbian soldiers was put to the test many times during our difficult and glorious history.

"We treat with great respect the defenders of the fatherland. The love of the Serb people toward the army was felt on October 16 last year, during the exceptional military parade to honor the liberation of Belgrade by Yugoslav and Soviet soldiers, that was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin," the diplomat said.

He added that he hoped the same feelings will be present also during the celebration of the 70th anniversary of victory over fascism on May 9, and that "the cooperation of the Russian and Serbian armies has considerably increased as of late, in the interest of global, European, and regional peace."

The ceremony at the embassy last night was attended by Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic, Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic, and cabinet ministers Aleksandar Vulin and Kori Udovicki, chief of the Serbian Army General Staff Ljubisa Dikovic, presidential advisers Oliver Antic and Radoslav Pavolovic, president of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Sanda Raskovic-Ivic, and others.

Before the veterans received the medals, propaganda material about the Russian Army was played, showing its combat readiness and the latest weapons in its arsenal, including jets, air defense and nuclear weapons, submarines and tanks.

The footage stressed the successes of the Russian army in the 2008 war in Georgia, and at one point mentioned that an Iskander ballistic missile launched from Kaliningrad could reach Warsaw in "a little over two minutes."

"NATO wouldn't even have time brush its teeth," a narrator's voice said, while an image of a toothbrush appeared on the screen to illustrate the point.