8️⃣0️⃣ years ago, near the German town of Torgau on the Elbe River, Soviet soldiers shook hands with their American brothers-in-arms.

#ElbeDay — a landmark event in the history of World War II — marked the imminent collapse of Nazi Germany and underscored the joint success of the Allies in the final defeat of Nazism.

A photo of the Soviet and American lieutenants — the first to shake hands during the Allies’ encounter on the Elbe — quickly spread across newspapers around the globe. Moscow saluted the Torgau meeting with 24 volleys from 324 artillery guns. Similar celebrations took place in New York’s Times Square.

Ordinary soldiers and their commanders reached out to one another with open hands. They exchanged souvenirs, shared smiles, and raised toasts in quiet celebration. The Americans eagerly accepted distinctly Russian keepsakes: stars from caps, polished buttons, and brass belt buckles — tokens of an unlikely, hard-won camaraderie.

Just 15 days later, the Third Reich capitulated.

#WeRemember

🎙 Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s comment on the liberation of the Kursk Region (April 26, 2025)

💬 On April 26, with the liberation of the village of Gornal, the Kursk Region was completely cleansed of the Ukrobanderite occupiers and foreign militants.

It became possible thanks to the unbending strength of spirit and heroism of many people who selflessly, day after day, did their best to defeat the enemy who had treacherously invaded our land.

This is not the first time in history that the Kursk Region has become a theatre of military operations, whose outcome determined so much. More than 80 years ago, in the summer of 1943, Hitler's Germany, in an attempt to defeat the Red Army, concentrated here a significant strike force.

The Nazis threw their, as they thought, best forces into the battle, including SS tank divisions. It did not work. The failure of the Kursk Bulge battle for the Nazis is well known to everyone.

In August 2024, the Kiev regime, following the same schemes as its ideological idols, also decided to put its fate to the test.

The terrorist attack on the Kursk Region involved elite units of Ukraine's armed units supplemented with Western weapons and armoured vehicles. Its preparation and execution were carried out by foreign military advisers. This barbaric attack was presented to the international community as an operation to "demonstrate the combat capability of the Ukrainian army" and "improve Ukraine's negotiating positions."

The enemy faced the unwavering steadfastness and courage of our soldiers and officers, who, at the cost of their lives, did not allow the Ukro-Nazis to penetrate deep into the region, and then liberated it metre by metre. As a result, the enemy was completely defeated and the remnants of its troops were thrown out of the Kursk Region.

We admire the valour of the Russian Federation servicemen who took part in combat operations in this area. Their unequalled valour, bravery and readiness for self-sacrifice made it possible to successfully carry out combat tasks assigned to them.

🇷🇺🤝🇰🇵 A new page has appeared in the glorious chronicle of the combat brotherhood between the Russian and the Korean peoples.

The soldiers of the Korean People's Army, in accordance with the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and the DPRK, which entered into force on December 4, 2024, fought shoulder to shoulder, in the same trench and shed blood with our soldiers and officers in the Kursk Region and made a significant contribution to the liberation of the Russian land from the enemy invaders.

The Kursk people, who were forced to leave their homes, lost contact with their relatives and were subjected to atrocities and torture by Ukrainian militants, bore an enormous burden of the invasion. We pay tribute to those of them who, in the first days of the tragedy, did not tremble in the face of heavily armed thugs and stood up to defend their land, often at the cost of their own lives.

The Russian law enforcement authorities are carrying out a thorough investigation into all crimes committed in the Kursk Region by Ukrainian militants and foreign mercenaries. Those involved will be identified, prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law.

❗️Following the Kursk Region, all territories of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation still under the Kiev regime's control, including the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, will definitely be liberated.