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Russia’s “Great Victory” cult wasn’t built in 1945 — it was constructed in 1965

Russian propaganda presents May 9 as a sacred, unbroken tradition stretching back to 1945.
byOlena Mukhina
09/05/2026
6 minute read
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The Russian military during the 9 May parade on Red Square. Source: TASS
The Russian military during the 9 May parade on Red Square. Source: TASS
Russia’s “Great Victory” cult wasn’t built in 1945 — it was constructed in 1965

Today, Russian propaganda presents 9 May as a “holiday” that has been solemnly and continuously celebrated since 1945, according to ArmyInform. 

This idea forms the basis of the modern cult of the “Great Victory,” which the Kremlin uses to justify the war against Ukraine and to mobilize society. 

However, historical facts show a very different picture. For almost twenty years after the end of World War II, 9 May in the USSR did not have the status that modern Russian propaganda now attributes to it.

USSR did not treat 9 May as country’s main holiday for nearly 20 years

On 8 May 1945, Nazi Germany’s surrender was announced in Europe. Because of the time difference, it was already 9 May in Moscow — and that date became the official “Victory Day” in the USSR.

In 1945, the famous Victory Parade was indeed held, and the day was declared a public holiday. However, as early as 1947, the Soviet authorities canceled the day off on 9 May, and large-scale celebrations were effectively scaled back.

The date faded into the background for a long time. In the postwar USSR, reconstruction, the economy, and the cult of Stalin himself were considered far more important than mass commemoration of the war.

Why Stalin’s regime quickly reduced cult of victory

After the war, the USSR faced a massive humanitarian and economic crisis. Millions had died, cities were destroyed, industry was exhausted, and resources were scarce. The Soviet leadership focused on mobilizing the population for rebuilding the state.

In addition, millions of veterans returned home with combat experience and personal authority. The Stalinist regime traditionally feared any independent social groups, so veterans were never allowed to become a separate political force, and the theme of war did not immediately become a central state cult.

In the late Stalin era, the primary focus of propaganda remained the glorification of Stalin himself. Victory was presented mainly as proof of the “genius” of Soviet leadership rather than a popular national achievement.

Cult of 9 May was largely constructed in 1960s, but this is rarely mentioned today

The situation changed sharply during Leonid Brezhnev’s rule. In 1965, for the 20th anniversary of the end of the war, 9 May once again became a public holiday.

That was when the Soviet state actively began constructing the cult of the “Great Patriotic War”: large military parades, memorials, war films, and an official heroic mythology.

After the collapse of the USSR, modern Russia not only preserved this model but radically intensified it. Under Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the theme of “victory” became a core element of state ideology and a key propaganda tool for the Kremlin.

This is where symbols and narratives such as the Saint George ribbon, the slogan “we can repeat it,” the militarization of memory, and repeated attempts to monopolize victory in World War II originated.

At the same time, Russian propaganda avoids mentioning one central historical fact: the USSR itself did not treat 9 May as the country’s principal holiday for nearly two decades after the war.

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Today, Russian propaganda presents 9 May as a “holiday” that has been solemnly and continuously celebrated since 1945, according to ArmyInform. 

This idea forms the basis of the modern cult of the “Great Victory,” which the Kremlin uses to justify the war against Ukraine and to mobilize society. 

However, historical facts show a very different picture. For almost twenty years after the end of World War II, 9 May in the USSR did not have the status that modern Russian propaganda now attributes to it.

USSR did not treat 9 May as country’s main holiday for nearly 20 years

On 8 May 1945, Nazi Germany’s surrender was announced in Europe. Because of the time difference, it was already 9 May in Moscow — and that date became the official “Victory Day” in the USSR.

In 1945, the famous Victory Parade was indeed held, and the day was declared a public holiday. However, as early as 1947, the Soviet authorities canceled the day off on 9 May, and large-scale celebrations were effectively scaled back.

The date faded into the background for a long time. In the postwar USSR, reconstruction, the economy, and the cult of Stalin himself were considered far more important than mass commemoration of the war.

Why Stalin’s regime quickly reduced cult of victory

After the war, the USSR faced a massive humanitarian and economic crisis. Millions had died, cities were destroyed, industry was exhausted, and resources were scarce. The Soviet leadership focused on mobilizing the population for rebuilding the state.

In addition, millions of veterans returned home with combat experience and personal authority. The Stalinist regime traditionally feared any independent social groups, so veterans were never allowed to become a separate political force, and the theme of war did not immediately become a central state cult.

In the late Stalin era, the primary focus of propaganda remained the glorification of Stalin himself. Victory was presented mainly as proof of the “genius” of Soviet leadership rather than a popular national achievement.

Cult of 9 May was largely constructed in 1960s, but this is rarely mentioned today

The situation changed sharply during Leonid Brezhnev’s rule. In 1965, for the 20th anniversary of the end of the war, 9 May once again became a public holiday.

That was when the Soviet state actively began constructing the cult of the “Great Patriotic War”: large military parades, memorials, war films, and an official heroic mythology.

After the collapse of the USSR, modern Russia not only preserved this model but radically intensified it. Under Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the theme of “victory” became a core element of state ideology and a key propaganda tool for the Kremlin.

This is where symbols and narratives such as the Saint George ribbon, the slogan “we can repeat it,” the militarization of memory, and repeated attempts to monopolize victory in World War II originated.

At the same time, Russian propaganda avoids mentioning one central historical fact: the USSR itself did not treat 9 May as the country’s principal holiday for nearly two decades after the war.

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