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Zelenskyy Marks Day of Remembrance and Victory Over Nazism in WWII in His Kyiv Speech

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Vlad Litnarovych
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Zelenskyy Marks Day of Remembrance and Victory Over Nazism in WWII in His Kyiv Speech
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the address on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, Kyiv, May 8, 2025. (Source: President of Ukraine)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism with an address from central Kyiv, drawing parallels between World War II and Ukraine’s ongoing battle against Russian aggression on May 8.

Standing on Khreshchatyk Street, where burned-out Russian tanks were displayed three years ago as a symbol of defiance against Russian invaders, Zelenskyy recalled the air raid sirens that sounded over Kyiv on the morning of February 24, 2022, drawing parallels to the wartime events of 80 years ago in Europe.

“Sadly, three years ago, it happened again,” Zelenskyy said. “And just like back then, the air raid siren wailed once more over Kyiv, and evil once again came to our Ukrainian land.”

He described the empty streets that morning and contrasted them with the life that now thrives in the city thanks to the resilience and sacrifice of Ukraine’s defenders.

The president spoke directly to the nation, highlighting how everyday life—people walking their streets, brewing coffee, working, and thanking soldiers—exists because Ukrainian forces are holding the line far from home. “This is so important. ‘Thank you’ is so important for them,” he said, referring to the troops.

Zelenskyy also criticized Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, calling it a “grotesque distortion of history and morality”.

He described the annual May 9 military parade in Moscow as a “parade of fear” in contrast to Ukraine’s living tribute to freedom and sacrifice.

In addition, he denounced what he called Russia’s cynical appropriation of WWII history.

“Tomorrow, the atrocities of the Nazis will be brought up by the organizer of mass graves in Bucha,” Zelenskyy said, adding that those who orchestrated the brutal siege of Mariupol would now speak of the suffering in Leningrad. “It will be a parade of cynicism. A parade of bile and lies.”

Zelenskyy reminded Ukrainians that over 8 million of their compatriots perished in the fight against Nazism. “Almost every one of our families has a photo, preserving the memory of someone of their own,” he said, speaking of his own grandfather who fought in the war.

Today, he added, nearly every Ukrainian family has a loved one fighting a new evil.

During the address, Zelenskyy visited a place of national remembrance on Independence Square where citizens have posted flags, candles, and portraits of fallen soldiers.

“This is not a monument made by order,” he said. “This is a human desire to pay tribute to the best of Ukrainians.”

“It stands”, he said, “as a testament to the difference between Ukraine and Russia.”

“For them, the idol is the old man on Red Square who took the lives of millions. For us, heroes are heroes among us.”

The President concluded that peace will only come when either Russia changes radically, or the world does, as it did during WWII. “Evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought. Together. Resolutely. With force. With pressure,” he declared.

Ukraine officially began marking May 8 as the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in 2023, breaking from Soviet-era traditions.

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia will hold the biggest “Victory Day” parade on May 9 since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The rehearsal footage suggests that this year’s parade will be the largest since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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