Putin Signs Bill to Rename WWII Victory Day

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:46 JST, June 26, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law on Saturday to rename the “Day of the End of World War II” on Sept. 3 to the “Day of Victory over Militaristic Japan and the end of World War II.”

The move is seen as retaliation against Japan’s increased support for Ukraine, which Russian invaded in February 2022. Japan recently started to provide Self-Defense Force vehicles to Ukraine.

The bill to rename the “Day of the End of World War II” was submitted to the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, in June last year. The bill passed the State Duma on June 20 and the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, on the following day.