Another African state holds ‘Immortal Regiment’ march

An ‘Immortal Regiment’ march has been held in Cotonou, Benin, to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the Russian Embassy reported on Sunday.  

According to a Telegram post, 70 people attended the procession in the West African country’s largest city, including Russians and Beninese graduates of Soviet and Russian high schools. Cuban Ambassador Ricardo Garcia Napoles and his wife were also present.  

In a speech to mark the upcoming Victory Day, Russian Ambassador Igor Evdokimov emphasized the importance of preserving the truth about WWII “in the context of attempts by the ‘collective West’ to diminish the role of the Soviet people in the victory over fascism.” 

During the event, embassy staff and fellow Russians residing in Benin and Togo held more than a dozen performances. Participants were also shown photo exhibitions titled ‘Ukrainian Crimes against Humanity (2022-2023)’ and ‘The Siege of Leningrad’, as well as the documentary film ‘Encounter at the Elbe’, the embassy reported.

An ‘Immortal Regiment’ procession was organized in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for the fourth time on May 1. Dozens of people carried photos of family members who had participated in WWII, while a six-meter Russian flag was displayed at the front of the column.  

The ‘Immortal Regiment’ is a large-scale civic event held in cities across Russia and other nations. Participants carry photos of their relatives who fought in WWII as an expression of gratitude to the Red Army for its decisive role in the defeat of the Axis powers.  

The concept of the ‘Immortal Regiment’ started in the Russian city of Tomsk in 2012, and has since gained popularity nationally and further afield.