Pro-Russian activists managed to hold “Immortal Regiment” marches in regional Belarusian cities by joining their columns with the official “Belarus Remembers” processions. Russia’s embassy in Belarus and branches of Rossotrudnichestvo reported on the events. Belarusian state propaganda outlets did not mention the “Immortal Regiment” campaign.
In Hrodna, the joint column was led by Russian Consulate Counselor Gavriil Mamontov and head of the “Russian House” Yulia Semenchenko.
“On May 9, 2026, Hrodna became the center of large-scale patriotic unity. On the 81st anniversary of the Great Victory, the combined columns of the ‘Belarus Remembers’ and ‘Immortal Regiment’ campaigns gathered an enormous number of participants. In the ‘Immortal Regiment’ column, compatriots carrying portraits of their grandfathers, grandmothers, and great-grandfathers marched together down Hrodna’s main street.
The procession was given special spirit by musical moments. An accordion played right in the column, and people joined in singing melodies familiar to everyone. ‘Katyusha,’ ‘Smuglyanka,’ ‘Victory Day,’ and ‘In the Dugout’ — these songs, sung in chorus by thousands of Hrodna residents, echoed over the Neman River. The live music united everyone — both those carrying portraits and those standing on the sidewalks,” the Hrodna “Russian House” said.
In Vitsebsk, employees of the Russian embassy branch took part in a march held as part of the nationwide “Belarus Remembers” campaign, the Russian diplomatic mission reported.
In Brest, the Russian Consulate General also reported on a combined column of the two campaigns.
“In Brest, participants of the ‘Belarus Remembers. Remember Everyone’ campaign and the ‘Immortal Regiment,’ along with numerous delegations, guests, and city residents, gathered in one column,” the Russian Consulate General in Brest stated.
It was also claimed that “on May 9, thousands of residents and guests of Brest joined the festive procession of the ‘Immortal Regiment’ and the ‘Belarus Remembers’ campaign to celebrate Victory Day together.”
According to the Russian embassy in Belarus, the event in Mahilyou was attended by “not only city residents, but also guests arriving from the Russian capital.”
The “Immortal Regiment” also marched through the streets of Homiel. Employees of the Russian embassy branch and the Russian House in Homiel took part in the procession, led by its head Aleksandr Morzhukhin.
“In this unified flow, accompanied by military marches and the rhythmic step of the ‘Immortal Regiment,’ one feels incredible strength: we are the heirs of Victory, and we remember,” the Homiel “Russian House” stated.
Sputnik Belarus published a video from Minsk with the caption: “Participants in the ‘Immortal Regiment’ campaign share memories of their relatives who took part in the Great Patriotic War.” The footage shows two children laying flowers at the monument to Marat Kazey, as well as three adults holding portraits of relatives and Joseph Stalin.
Earlier, pro-Russian activist Andrei Gerashchenko appealed to the Belarusian authorities to allow “Immortal Regiment” marches in Belarusian cities.
“We believe that the ‘Immortal Regiment’ march should become an element of the nationwide ‘Belarus Remembers’ campaign. Including separate ‘Immortal Regiment’ units within the ‘Belarus Remembers’ columns confirms the unity of Russia and Belarus, and of Russians and Belarusians, in celebrating Victory Day. The experience of such cooperation proved effective during the organization of festive events on May 9 in 2024 and 2025,” he said.
A few days ago, it was reported that the Minsk City Executive Committee refused permission for an “Immortal Regiment” march in Minsk on May 9.
