Publication

This paper discusses how the ostentatious nature of Russia's 70th anniversary celebrations of the country's victory over Nazi Germany reflects how Russia sees itself and how it views the current geopolitical confrontation with the West over the crisis in Ukraine. The author argues that the unprecedented grandeur of the celebrations serves to cultivate the myth of the Great Patriotic War (World War II) which, in turn, helps the Kremlin achieve its domestic goals and legitimize its attempts to dominate the countries which fall within Russia's traditional sphere of influence.