Russia Establishes Day of Remembrance for Victims of Nazi Genocide

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a decree establishing April 19 as the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Soviet People perpetrated by the Nazis and their accomplices during World War II. The decree, which was developed by the State Duma Committee on Defence in November 2025, aims to form a legal foundation for prosecuting Nazi criminals and their collaborators, including military personnel from Italy, Romania, Hungary, and Finland. Notably, the decree does not mention Jewish victims of the Holocaust, which has raised significant concerns regarding the historical narrative being promoted by the Russian government.

The Jerusalem Report

The initiative to commemorate the victims of Nazi atrocities is framed within a broader narrative of Soviet heroism during World War II. State Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the Soviet people's sacrifices, stating that it is Russia's duty to ensure that the truth about Nazi atrocities is not forgotten. The explanatory note accompanying the decree highlights the need to prevent future genocides, yet it fails to acknowledge the specific suffering of Jewish communities during the Holocaust.

The Jerusalem Report

Critics have pointed out that the omission of Jewish victims from the narrative is a significant erasure of history. Reports surrounding the decree focus on the suffering of Soviet prisoners and other non-Jewish victims, while neglecting the fact that approximately two million Jews from Soviet territories were among the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. This selective remembrance has been interpreted as an attempt to reshape historical memory in a way that aligns with contemporary political narratives.

The Jerusalem Report

In his July 2020 speech, Putin remarked on the absence of a statute of limitations for Nazi crimes in Russia, reinforcing the notion that these acts are perpetual crimes against humanity. The Russian government continues to prosecute perpetrators and commemorate victims, yet the current decree's focus on Soviet victims without acknowledging Jewish suffering has sparked debate about the integrity of this commemoration.

The Jerusalem Report

While Russian statistics indicate that approximately 26.6 million Soviet citizens were killed by the Nazis, estimates of total losses during the war range as high as 50 million. This discrepancy highlights the challenges in accurately representing the historical impact of the Holocaust and the broader context of World War II. The lack of acknowledgment for Jewish victims in the decree and related discussions raises questions about the completeness of the historical narrative being promoted by the Russian government.

The Jerusalem Report

• “April 19 serves as a reminder to the whole world of the need to do everything to ensure that genocide never and nowhere is repeated,” — Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma

The Jerusalem Report

• “As Putin noted in a speech in July 2020, there is no statute of limitations in Russia for the crimes of the Nazis.” — Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

The Jerusalem Report