(Adnkronos) – The Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, intends to participate for the second time in a commemoration of the events of the Second World War, this time in the eastern German city of Torgau, where the meeting between US and Soviet troops on the Elbe River took place on April 25, 1945. A spokesman for the Russian embassy told Dpa that Nechayev will accept the city’s invitation and participate in Friday’s events.
Torgau officials specified that they had not issued formal invitations, merely informing several embassies in February. Moscow also asked to be able to intervene, but those responsible for the city administration refused, saying they did not want to “make a platform available” to Russia. Last week, Nechayev took part in a memorial on the Seelow Heights, east of Berlin, where between April 16 and 19, 1945, a battle took place that saw 100,000 German soldiers against one million Soviet soldiers.
The German Foreign Ministry has advised against extending invitations to Russian representatives for commemorations by federal, state and local governments, fearing they will become opportunities for Moscow to justify the war against Ukraine. The German Parliament has decided to exclude Russia and Belarus from the main commemorative event for the end of the Second World War which will be held in Berlin on 8 May.
