Photo: Sergei Bobylev / TASS
The International Anti-Fascist Congress, organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense, opened in the Patriot park near Moscow in Kubinka.
The event is being held as part of the Army-2022 forum; Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced it back in March. The stated goal of the International Anti-Fascist Congress is to unite the efforts of the international community in the fight against the ideology of Nazism "in any form of its manifestation in the modern world." The congress is also seen as a platform "for upholding the historical truth about the decisive contribution of the USSR to the defeat of fascism during the Second World War," writes RIA Novosti.
In early August, it was reported that 72 "friendly countries" were invited to participate in the congress. Whether anyone accepted the invitation is not clear: no specific countries or names were mentioned in the state media news or in the official press releases of the Ministry of Defense dedicated to the opening of the event.
Shoigu was one of the speakers at the first meeting of the International Anti-Fascist Congress. That's what he said.
- The Russophobic idea of ââbanning Russian citizens from entering the European Union clearly manifests Nazi policy.
- The fundamental principles of the Nuremberg Tribunal are increasingly being revised by individual countries, particularly the Baltic states. Monuments are raising in Estonia and Latvia to war criminals.
- One of the main factors that led to the Second World War was the cooperation with the Nazis of the Anglo-American business circles.
- The decision to conduct a "special operation" was made because of unacceptable threats to Russia's security.
Among the other speakers of the meeting was Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Irina Yarovaya. She, in particular, stated that the United States "is the entity that finances Nazism in the world" and that the Pentagon creates hundreds of secret military laboratories worldwide, thereby "continuing the monstrous projects of Nazi Germany." Yarovaya also said that she would soon begin work on a new bill to prevent the rehabilitation of Nazism. With her direct participation in the spring of 2021, the State Duma has already toughened the punishment under the relevant criminal article.