Berlin’s Immortal Regiment March for Soviet WWII Veterans Held Under Strict Police Surveillance (VIDEOS)

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Amidst a ban on Soviet symbols, Berlin saw a commemorative march for Soviet WWII veterans.

Hundreds in Berlin participated in the Immortal Regiment march on Friday, honoring Soviet soldiers of World War II. Participants were prohibited from displaying Soviet flags and symbols, and were not allowed to march together to the central war memorial.

The Immortal Regiment, a tradition started in Tomsk, Russia, in 2012, involves people parading with portraits of their relatives who fought against Nazi Germany, and is typically held on May 9 in Russia and other countries.

The Berlin procession, attended by members of the Russian community and local residents, went through the city center and ended at the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, the burial site of thousands of Red Army soldiers.

People hold historical troop banners near the Soviet Memorial in Tiergarten, which commemorates the Soviet soldiers who died during the Second World War on 9 May 2025, Berlin, Germany.

© Global Look Press / Hannes P Albert

Those wishing to lay flowers at the memorial for the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat were permitted in groups of ten, each accompanied by police.

At the memorial, police intervened to restrain pro-Ukraine activists who attempted to disrupt the flower-laying ceremony.

The marchers chanted “Russia, Russia,” while opposing demonstrators displayed Ukrainian and NATO flags and signs that read “Arm Ukraine.”

Earlier in the week, Berlin officials had prohibited Soviet flags and symbols at WWII memorials during the May 8-9 commemorations, also banning the singing of Soviet songs in public.

Moscow condemned the ban as “degrading” and “discriminatory,” with the Russian embassy in Berlin stating that it violated the rights of Soviet soldiers’ descendants. Approximately 27 million Soviet citizens died fighting against Nazism.

In 2023, the city banned both Russian and Soviet flags during Victory Day events. In 2024, symbols like the letters ‘Z’ and ‘V’ were also banned due to their association with the conflict in Ukraine.

Despite the restrictions, participants in the Immortal Regiment procession sang ‘Katyusha’, a well-known wartime song representing hope, sacrifice, and the yearning of those on the home front.