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The afterlife of empire
United States🏛️ PoliticsProgressive5/12/2026

The afterlife of empire

On May 3, a procession of hundreds carrying portraits of Red Army soldiers and waving Soviet flags marched through Washington DC, with the Russian embassy permitting the event and the DC Metropolitan Police providing security. Similar demonstrations occurred in Paris, Amsterdam, and Busan, while Berlin authorities announced bans on Soviet flags and military songs near war memorials during May 8-9 commemorations. In Moscow, Victory Day celebrations faced unprecedented restrictions, including the cancellation of the Immortal Regiment march, removal of military displays, intermittent mobile internet shutdowns, and drastically reduced spectator numbers. Russian state media reported heightened security measures, including Putin retreating to protected bunkers due to fears of drone attacks and assassination attempts. Russia's Foreign Ministry warned foreign embassies in Kyiv to evacuate, threatening retaliation. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky humorously 'allowed' the Moscow parade to proceed by excluding Red Square from Ukraine's strike plans.

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Coda Story logoCoda StoryIndependentProgressive5/12/2026
The afterlife of empire

On May 3, a procession of hundreds carrying portraits of Red Army soldiers and waving Soviet flags marched through Washington DC, with the Russian embassy permitting the event and the DC Metropolitan Police providing security. Similar demonstrations occurred in Paris, Amsterdam, and Busan, while Berlin authorities announced bans on Soviet flags and military songs near war memorials during May 8-9 commemorations. In Moscow, Victory Day celebrations faced unprecedented restrictions, including the cancellation of the Immortal Regiment march, removal of military displays, intermittent mobile internet shutdowns, and drastically reduced spectator numbers. Russian state media reported heightened security measures, including Putin retreating to protected bunkers due to fears of drone attacks and assassination attempts. Russia's Foreign Ministry warned foreign embassies in Kyiv to evacuate, threatening retaliation. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky humorously 'allowed' the Moscow parade to proceed by excluding Red Square from Ukraine's strike plans.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the Russian-led commemorations as a continuation of Soviet-era symbolism and portrays the Kremlin's actions as defensive responses to external threats. It highlights the suppression of public displays in Moscow while emphasizing the symbolic importance of these events. The tone of

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