President Putin warmly welcomed war veterans from Russia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, France, the United States, Great Britain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Poland.
The head of state said that only by joint efforts such a powerful enemy as Nazism could be defeated, that is why Russia shares this great victory with dozens of other nations. The President reminded of the WWII victims, which number tens of millions. Hence the main lesson of modern history is to eradicate even local hotbeds of Nazism.
Following the meeting, a ceremony for presenting Russian state awards was held at the Georgiyevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace. The President presented WWII veterans and servicemen who distinguished themselves in action in the North-Caucasus region with orders and medals.