This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
On the 79th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a ceremony at the newly built Cathedral of the Armed Forces, a massive military theme park outside Moscow.
The cathedral, which stands at nearly 100 meters high and features six golden domes, is now Russia's third-largest Orthodox Christian church.
However, the cathedral sparked controversy earlier this year when it was revealed that it would include mosaics featuring Putin and Soviet-era dictator Joseph Stalin. The mosaics were eventually removed at Putin's request.
"For us Russians, the memory of all those who fought, those who died, who with their strength brought us closer to victory in the Great Patriotic War, is sacred," Putin said in a televised ceremony, using the Russian name for the war.
Putin's visit to the cathedral came ahead of a huge military parade planned on Wednesday to mark 75 years since victory in the war. The parade was originally scheduled for May 9 but was rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen Russia record the world's third-highest number of cases.
Putin has also rescheduled a public vote on constitutional reforms, initially planned for April, for July 1. Among other changes, the reforms will reset presidential term limits, allowing Putin to potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036.
