American veterans were reportedly told their passports would be canceled if they traveled to Russia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The US government had intimidated some veterans of WWII who wanted to fly to Russia for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russian ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US officials blocked the dreams of US veterans to reunite with their Russian comrades in arms for the second year in a row, Antonov said, even threatening to cancel their passports if they flew to Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want the American soldiers to know that Russia is proud of their contribution to the common victory. The hostile US policy will not undermine the spirit of camaraderie during the Great Patriotic War. We consider it our duty to defend the truth about these heroes,\u201d the ambassador said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antonov also pointed out the rising Russophobia in the US, which he said was being encouraged by the government. He accused the US media of completely ignoring the anniversary of Nazi defeat, in order to avoid giving any credit to the USSR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBrazen attempts are being made to falsify the facts about WWII, the decisive contribution of the Red Army to the defeat of fascism is ignored, and the Soviet Union is excluded from the list of winners. At the same time, the role of the US and the UK is undeservedly advertised,\u201d the ambassador said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also called a \u201cdisgrace\u201d and \u201cmockery of history and common sense\u201d that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is being celebrated around Europe even as the government in Kiev glorifies the Nazi collaborators such as Stepan Bandera and his movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe call on the American authorities to change their minds and stop indulging the Nazis,\u201d Antonov said. \u201cWe must be honest with the fallen heroes. Stop distorting history. Encouraging neo-Nazism and Russophobia is unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n