Hundreds of Russians march through the streets of Havana: “The Immortal Regiment”

This Friday, May 10, an unprecedented march of hundreds of Russians took place in Havana to commemorate Victory Day over fascism.

It is the first time that this type of event has been carried out in the Cuban capital, a country characterized by the prohibition of walks and marches for its citizens, but which decided to give the go-ahead to the Russians.

Known as the “Immortal Regiment” march, it is traditional in Russia on May 9. In this demonstration, people take to the streets of the cities carrying portraits of their relatives who died during World War II. In Cuba, attendees walked the entire 5th Avenue, one of the busiest streets in Havana.

“With portraits of their ancestors in their hands and with songs from that time, about 500 people participated in the march: our compatriots, diplomats from the Embassy and their families, as well as professors and students from Cuban universities,” described the Russian embassy in Cuba activity.

The participants took a souvenir photo in front of the headquarters of the Russian diplomatic mission in Cuba and the ambassador Victor V. Coronelli, who was also present at the walk, greeted the attendees.

The organizers thanked “the support of the Cuban authorities who guaranteed the safety of the activities.”

Paradoxically, in the practice of the Cuban government it is common to deny this type of events when they are organized by its citizens.

The most recent of the denials was during Holy Week, when deliberately prohibited the Catholic community of El Vedado, in Havana, from carrying out the Holy Burial procession.

However, in a context of rapprochement between the two governments, the interest in not being questioned by the Russian side, a nation that coincidentally was visited these days by the Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel.

After a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Díaz-Canel commented on the military operations in Ukraine and showed his support for the Russian side, in what he described as a campaign of “geopolitical manipulation” by the United States.