For the song, see Den Pobedy
Victory Day (Russian: День Победы, Den' Pobedy; Ukrainian: День Перемоги, Den' Peremohy; Belarusian: Дзень Перамогі, Dzień Pieramohi; Kazakh: Жеңіс Күні, Jeñis Küni; Lithuanian: Pergalės diena; Moldavian: (Cyrillic) Зиуа Викторией, Ziua Victoriei; Latvian: Uzvaras Diena; Estonian: Võidupäev; Tatar Cyrillic: Җиңү көне, Latin: Ciñü köne) marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second World War commonly referred to in the Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War. This capitulation was signed late in the evening on May 8, 1945 (May 9 in the Moscow time zone), following the original capitulation Germany signed earlier to the joint Allied forces. The Soviet government announced the victory early on May 9 after the signing ceremony in Berlin.
Therefore, another ceremony was organized in a surviving manor in the outskirts of Berlin late on May 8, when it was already May 9 in Moscow due to the difference in time zones. Field-Marshal Wilhelm Keitel submitted the capitulation of the Wehrmacht to the Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov in the Red Army headquarters in Berlin-Karlshorst. To commemorate the victory in the war, the ceremonial Moscow Victory Parade was held in the Soviet capital on June 24, 1945.
The anniversary of May 9 was celebrated not only in Soviet Union but in the countries of the Eastern Bloc as well. Since the fall of the communism in Central and Eastern Europe these countries, as well as the Baltic States, recognize Victory in Europe Day instead on May 8th.

See also

End of World War II in Europe
German Instrument of Surrender, 1945
Victory in Europe Day
Moscow Victory Parade of 1945
Victory over Japan Day
Ribbon of Saint George
Victory Day in other countries