"We will always remember that it was specifically Russia, the Soviet Union, that undermined the abhorrent, bloody, supercilious plans of the Nazis and kept them from controlling the world. Our soldiers saved freedom and independence by defending their motherland without sparing themselves, liberating Europe and claiming a victory whose grandeur will live on for centuries."
After the speech, Putin downed the customary 100 grams of vodka, the daily ration issued to Red Army soldiers during the war. The Russian Government currently estimates that 26.6 million Russians lost their lives in "The Great Patriotic War," counting both civilians and military.