Donetsk, May 9 - DAN. Thousands of people took part in the Immortal Regiment march in Donetsk commemorating their relatives who defended their Motherland in World War II and later conflicts.
The column started from Donetsk’s Komsomolskiy Prospekt and moved along the main thoroughfare Artyoma Street where a one-hour military parade marking the 72nd World War II Victory Day anniversary had taken place.
The Immortal Regiment column was led by DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko. The marchers behind him were carrying the photos of DPR Heroes Alexander Nemogai, Mikhail Tolsttykh (call sign “Givi”) and Arsen Pavlov (call sign “Motorola”).
DPR residents and guests had photos of their deceased relatives who fought in World War II, the Afghan war and the Donbass war. Many people carried DPR banners and flowers: lilac, carnations and tulips. The first ranks brought together Donbass Law Academy students carrying a ten-meter high Banner of Victory.
More than 30,000 people joined the action; the column stretched one kilometre in length. It headed for the Donbass Liberators monument in the Lenin Komsomol park where a large Victory Day rally is due to take place.
The participants in the V-Day celebrations from all age groups and walks of life came from different corners of the Republic.
Immortal Regiment is a public march on Victory Day in Russia and other countries with people carrying the photos of their relatives who fought in World War II.
It was first launched in Tomsk in 2012, and a year later was carried out in 120 towns. In 2014, residents of 500 towns in seven countries participated in the Immortal Regiment march. The action became an official event in Russia in 2015 gathering more than 500,000 people in Moscow alone.*jk