Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08MOSCOW1320, RUSSIA'S ELITIST VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MOSCOW1320.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08MOSCOW1320 2008-05-13 03:38 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Moscow
VZCZCXRO2493
RR RUEHBW RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #1320/01 1340338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130338Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8020
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001320 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MCAP PGOV PINS PREL PROP
SUBJECT: RUSSIA'S ELITIST VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Russia on May 9 celebrated the sixty-third 
anniversary of the end of World War II with a parade on Red Square 
that featured approximately 8,000 soldiers and 100 military 
vehicles.  For the first time since 1990, the parade showcased 
military hardware such as empty ballistic missile canisters, tanks, 
and a flyover of military aircraft.  Dmitriy Medvedev marked the 
occasion with a speech that praised the veterans of World War II, 
asserted Russia's strength, and implicitly criticized the West.  The 
parade itself was an elitist affair, with access to Red Square 
restricted.  The majority of Russians either viewed the parade on TV 
or watched the military hardware drive by after it completed the 
official parade.  Reactions to the parade were universally positive, 
with young people enjoying the spectacle and older people 
remembering what they perceived to be "better days."  After the 
parade, the Communist Party held a rally that criticized the current 
Russian government.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Medvedev Praises Russia's Strength, Criticizes The West 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
2. (U) With Prime Minister Putin standing alongside, Medvedev marked 
the sixty-third anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany with a 
speech that sang the praises of World War II veterans and proclaimed 
that the Russian military was "growing stronger, like Russia 
itself."  Victory Day was a holiday, he said, to honor World War II 
veterans who realized that the "real purpose of the military was to 
provide reliable defense for the Motherland."  Medvedev thanked the 
veterans for not allowing Russia to "be brought to its knees," and 
for defending Russia's sovereignty and independence. 
 
3. (SBU) While Medvedev avoided the bellicose rhetoric of his 
predecessor, who at last year's parade likened the U.S. to Nazi 
Germany, he did issue veiled warnings to and criticisms of the 
United States and its allies.  Medvedev stated that wars did not 
simply happen, but rather the "flames of conflict are lit by those 
who put their own irresponsible ambitions above the interests of 
whole countries and continents."  In an apparent reference to Kosovo 
(and not, for instance, Georgia), Medvedev argued that countries 
must not ignore international law, interfere with the affairs of 
other countries, and "attempt to revise borders." 
 
-------------- 
Parade Details 
-------------- 
 
4. (U) Media reports indicated over 8,000 troops and, for the first 
time since 1990, 100 military vehicles paraded across Red Square's 
specially-reinforced cobbled streets.  According to the newspaper 
Kommersant, nearby subway tunnels were even reinforced so they would 
not collapse.  In addition to tanks and armored personnel carriers, 
the parade also featured empty Topol-M canisters (no nuclear 
missiles) and a flyover of Russian military aircraft.  Media reports 
indicate that twelve air force planes were used to seed the clouds 
throughout the area to ensure good weather. 
 
5. (SBU) As if to underscore the tandem nature of the Putin-Medvedev 
relationship, Putin stood beside Medvedev as the soldiers and 
equipment passed the reviewing stand.  The reviewing stand itself 
obscured Lenin's Tomb, and perhaps highlighted the ambivalent 
attitude of the current administration toward the parade:  obscuring 
Lenin's Tomb distanced Putin and Medvedev from the Soviet past, 
while the parade itself harkened back to the military power the USSR 
possessed. 
 
6. (U) After the parade, many people gathered at Moscow's Victory 
Park to enjoy concerts and spend time with their families.  Moscow 
Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov gave a speech in which he praised the bravery of 
World War II veterans.  Their sacrifice, he said, served as an 
example to future generations.  "Russians are a peaceful people," he 
said, but are always ready to serve their country during times of 
need. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Separating The Cutlets From The Flies 
------------------------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Attendance at the formal parade through Red Square was by 
invitation only.  Average Russians who wanted to see their country's 
military might on display had to either content themselves by 
viewing the parade on television, or by standing along the Moscow 
streets near Red Square and watching the equipment roll by after the 
parade.  An older woman explained that "in our country there are two 
groups, the cutlets and the flies.  Russia's leaders are the 
cutlets, and we are the flies."  As if to drive home the point, city 
street sweepers were used to squirt water at people who did not 
remain on the sidewalk. 
 
 
MOSCOW 00001320  002 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------- 
Reactions From The People 
------------------------- 
 
8. (U) The enthusiastic crowds cheered the tanks and other 
equipment.  The most enthusiastic response was generated by the 
empty Topol-M ballistic missile canisters.  Many young people simply 
described the parade as "cool," and said they had never seen such 
firepower in the streets of Moscow before.  Many older Russians said 
the parade gave them hope and reminded them of "better times."  Some 
vendors sold pictures of Stalin, although the only person PolOff 
observed buying a Stalin portrait sheepishly said she was no fan of 
the deceased dictator and had no intention of displaying the picture 
in her apartment. 
 
9. (U) Local radio talk shows have been more critical, with 
commentators and callers alike questioning the rationale of the 
parade.  Some commentators questioned the need for such a spectacle 
when, for many Russian youth, the idea of military service evokes 
fear and derision rather than patriotic fervor.  Others pointed out 
that the parade disrupted both street and subway traffic for the 
entire day, with major roads closed long after the parade ended. 
 
------------------------ 
Communists Stage Protest 
------------------------ 
 
10. (U) Members of the Communist Party were also on hand to watch 
the parade and voice their approval of this display of Russia's 
military strength.  Many, however, criticized the Russian government 
as a group of "criminals" who do not truly care about World War II 
veterans.  After the military hardware passed by, press reports 
estimate up to 9,000 Communists marched down Tverskaya Street to 
Theater Square, located near Red Square, and held a rally. 
Communist Party Leader Gennadiy Zyuganov reminded supporters that 
the equipment they had just seen was all created during Soviet 
times, and said no new weapons were being created. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
11. (SBU) The Victory Day parade was the latest attempt by Russia to 
flex its military muscles and assert itself on the world stage. 
Despite the excitement that the parade generated among some, many 
more reforms and much more defense spending must occur before Russia 
poses a serious military threat. 
 
RUSSELL