Overview

• The 80th anniversary of Elbe Day in Torgau commemorated the historic 1945 meeting of U.S. and Soviet troops, symbolizing wartime unity.
• Saxony’s Minister-President Michael Kretschmer criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating that only Russia can end the war, drawing mixed reactions from the audience.
• Russian Ambassador Sergej Netschajew attended the ceremony without speaking rights, despite prior calls from Ukraine to bar his participation.
• Representatives from the U.S., Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia did not attend, likely due to the presence of the Russian ambassador.
• The event was further marked by symbolic acts, including wreath-laying by the Russian nationalist motorcycle club ‘Nachtwölfe,’ reflecting contested narratives of WWII memory.