Celebrations marking the Victory anniversary will cover about one hundred and twenty countries, TASS reports. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, organizations of Russian compatriots are engaged in their preparation. In addition, the Minister reminded everyone that a large-scale “Victory Quiz” event is being prepared. Contestants will have 45 minutes to answer 25 diverse questions about the war, fill-in-the-blank in terms of famous poetry, and work out other puzzles related to the largest conflict in human history. Russian homes and schools operating at embassies will join in on this quiz event. The Minister has no doubt that there will be many participants.

Sergei Lavrov also assured that Russian diplomats need to keep their eyes on the maintenance of war memorials abroad and the long-term care of monuments. Every year on Victory Day they organize clean-up days, and funds are constantly allocated for this type of work. It is important, said the Minister, that the authorities in many countries take care of such memorials.

The head of Russian diplomacy praised the attitude toward monuments in China. There are about eighty memorial sites there, immortalizing the memory of Soviet soldiers. They are always repaired and cared for on time with great respect.

Sergey Lavrov promised the Russian Foreign Ministry’s support for the expedition “Memory is stronger than time”. It is scheduled for August-September and is being prepared by the Russian veterans’ organization “Combat Brotherhood”. The organizers are going to celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the Kwantung Army (These were Japanese forces that occupied parts of Manchuria (China) and Mongolia) and install a memorial plaque in Harbin.