Today many of my Russian countrymen and other post-USSR nations celebrate the Victory Day, which marked the end of the Great Patriotic War in 1945 and heralded the end of World War II. On this day today, I would like to remind y'all of something...

As a little child, I always looked forward to a day off of school to go and watch the parade in our town. Watching cadets of the local military school and soldiers of the nearby garrison march by in crisp uniforms filled me with pride and joy for people who would defend my country, and deep respect for those who did in the past conflicts. And today, I still feel that deep respect.

I also feel that the tone shifted from honoring the defenders and celebrating peace to glorifying the military might for its own sake, and the ability to wage wars. This isn't right. So, on this day, I would like to remind y'all of something...

The Victory Day is a somber day. It's a day to remember every life that had to be laid down to thwart a terrible evil. It's a day to ponder how many artists, teachers, scientists, poets and makers didn't have a chance to flourish because the war cut their life short. It's a day to remember how much we longed for peace, and to remind ourselves to treasure it. It's a day to realize that the war was won because we — all the nations across the globe — were united in the pursuit of peace for everyone.

It's a day to revisit the crucial lesson: no nation is better than another. No nation is inherently evil or righteous. But we all are humanity, and we are better off together than apart.