"Night Wolves" On a Roll with "Victory Ride" to Berlin - Causes a Ruckus Amidst International Tensions
Russia's elite special forces, known as 'Night Wolves,' pay tribute by placing wreaths in Brandenburg, Germany.
Get talking with the wild, pro-Kremlin bunch of the Russian motorcycle clan, the notorious "Night Wolves." They've kicked off their annual "Victory Ride" to Berlin, a large-scale biker journey commemorating the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II, despite their sanctions due to their stand on Ukraine.
With their bikes roaring through the streets, these moto enthusiasts visited two Soviet memorial sites in Brandenburg. At Schönwalde and Baruth, wreaths were laid by members of the motorcycle gang before they headed towards Berlin. The local law enforcement maintained a presence at these historic sites. Earlier in the journey, the group stopped in Dresden.
The "Night Wolves" set off from Moscow at the end of April to honor World War II in the German capital. As in the year prior, they embarked on this controversial "Victory Ride" from Moscow to Berlin. In 2015, German authorities annulled the visas of several members and denied their entry.
The occasion this time around is the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which the "Night Wolves" plan to celebrate on May 9 at the Soviet Memorial in Berlin's Treptower Park. "This will not only symbolize the victory over fascism but also the enduring values of peaceful coexistence and the friendship of peoples," the rockers declared in advance.
This motorcycle club is composed of extreme nationalists who support Russian President Vladimir Putin and champion the annexation of Crimea. Due to their stance on Ukraine, the club and individual members are under international sanctions, leaving it unclear if the Russian bikers will make it to Berlin.
Despite the controversy in Germany about whether Russian representatives should be invited to official World War II commemorations, the "Night Wolves" remain unfazed. "Russia doesn't need to ask anyone and Russia doesn't ask anyone," one member commented. Another member dismissed the issue, asserting that the Red Army soldiers who fell in the fight against Nazi Germany are their ancestors. The Soviet Union, Russia's legal successor, lost 27 million people in World War II.
Though it is uncertain whether the entire gang will be present on May 9, some members expressed confidence that there would be "Night Wolves" in Berlin on that day. These members also hinted that the club has members in Germany. Earlier, they had laid wreaths and red carnations near an official World War II memorial in Torgau on the Elbe on Friday.
The "Night Wolves" began their journey in combination with the start of the biker season. Hundreds of bike riders took nearly an hour to depart from the club grounds in Moscow. The streets were closed for them, and some donned camouflage uniforms while others sported vests bearing the snarling wolf logo and flame tails. They carried club flags, as well as Russian and German flags, and some vehicles displayed the controversial letter "Z," which symbolizes Russia’s war against Ukraine in Germany.
On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered, marking the end of World War II in Europe. Every year on May 9, Russia celebrates its victory over Hitler's Germany as "Victory Day." In the Bundestag, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued a stern warning against the return of nationalism, dictatorship, and war. He perceives this threat not only in the resurgence of right-wing extremism in Germany but also in those countries that, at immense cost, fought against Hitler's fascism. "The liberators of Auschwitz have become new aggressors"—Steinmeier's words unmistakably pointed at Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Sources: ntv.de, gut/dpa
- Bikers
- Nationalism
- World War II
- 80th anniversary of the war's end
- Russia
- Brandenburg
- Berlin
- Vladimir Putin
- Germany
- Sanctions
- The Russian biker clan, the Night Wolves, are known for their pro-Kremlin stance and extreme nationalism, supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin and championing the annexation of Crimea.
- Despite international sanctions due to their stand on Ukraine, the Night Wolves embarked on their annual "Victory Ride" to Berlin, which commemorates the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.
- During the ride, the bikers visited Schönwalde and Baruth in Brandenburg, laying wreaths at Soviet memorial sites before proceeding to Berlin.
- The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II is the occasion for the Night Wolves' celebration in Berlin's Treptower Park, symbolizing the victory over fascism and the enduring values of peaceful coexistence and the friendship of peoples.
- Amidst political tensions, the Night Wolves' presence in Berlin raises questions about the coexistence of conflicting ideologies and the impact of nationalism on general news, crime-and-justice, and politics, particularly in the context of World War II commemorations and war-and-conflicts.
