Victory Day 2035: date and countries

Dates by country

Victory Day 2035 by country
Country	Date	Local name
Belarus	Wed 9 May	Дзень Перамогі
Czechia	Tue 8 May	Den vítězství
Estonia	Sat 23 Junweekend	võidupüha
France	Tue 8 May	Fête de la Victoire
Russia	Wed 9 May	День Победы
Türkiye	Thu 30 Aug	Zafer Bayramı

What is Victory Day?

Victory Day refers to different anniversaries, most of them linked to the end of the Second World War in Europe. In France and the Czech Republic it is 8 May, the anniversary of the German surrender in 1945 (the Czech day is called Den vítězství, and Slovakia has a similar Day of Victory over Fascism). In Russia and Belarus it is 9 May, because the German act of surrender was signed late on 8 May in Berlin, when it was already 9 May in Moscow. Several other former Soviet states also keep 9 May.

In Estonia, Victory Day on 23 June commemorates the victory over German-Baltic forces at the Battle of Võnnu, also called the Battle of Cēsis, in 1919 during the Estonian War of Independence. In Turkey, Victory Day, Zafer Bayramı, is on 30 August and marks the decisive Battle of Dumlupınar in 1922 in the Turkish War of Independence. The tone ranges from solemn wreath-laying to large military parades, and the same name can carry very different weight in different countries.

Why it is observed

The Soviet Union first celebrated 9 May in 1945, but the day stopped being a day off in the late 1940s and was restored as a non-working holiday in 1965, after which it became central to Soviet and later Russian civic life. In France 8 May was a holiday after the war, was dropped as a day off in 1975 and was restored in 1981. The Estonian and Turkish holidays commemorate other wars, which shows that the name is used wherever a state wants to remember a decisive military success.

How the date is set

There is no single date. Victory Day is a generic name for the anniversary of a military victory, and the date and event depend on the country. The best-known examples commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe on 8 or 9 May 1945.

How it is observed

Where Victory Day is a public holiday, banks, offices and schools close and there are ceremonies, wreath-laying and, in some countries, parades and fireworks, which can mean road closures in capitals. In Russia and Belarus the main military parade is held in the capital, with the centre closed to traffic. In 2027 the dates include 8 May in France and the Czech Republic, 9 May in Russia and Belarus, 23 June in Estonia, where it falls on the eve of Midsummer Day, and 30 August in Turkey. Pay and time off depend on national law and the contract.

Sources

Questions

Good to know

When is Victory Day in 2035?

The date differs by country: Belarus 9 May 2035; Czechia 8 May 2035; Estonia 23 June 2035; France 8 May 2035; Russia 9 May 2035; see the table for the rest.

Which countries observe Victory Day?

In our coverage: Belarus, Czechia, Estonia, France, Russia, Türkiye. Only holidays that apply across a whole country are counted.

Why is Victory Day observed?

The Soviet Union first celebrated 9 May in 1945, but the day stopped being a day off in the late 1940s and was restored as a non-working holiday in 1965, after which it became central to Soviet and later Russian civic life. In France 8 May was a holiday after the war, was dropped as a day off in 1975 and was restored in 1981. The Estonian and Turkish holidays commemorate other wars, which shows that the name is used wherever a state wants to remember a decisive military success.

How is the date of Victory Day set?

There is no single date. Victory Day is a generic name for the anniversary of a military victory, and the date and event depend on the country. The best-known examples commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe on 8 or 9 May 1945.