The "initial stage" of memorialization, where fresh earthen graves are crowded with temporary wooden crosses and a profusion of military banners, including the VDV (Airborne Forces) and St. Andrew’s Naval flags. The foreground features the grave of Mikhail Ilyich Svyatkin (1986–2025), a 39-year-old casualty, whose cross is adorned with a framed photo of him in uniform, exemplifying the typical profile of recent losses. The scene is saturated with patriotic symbols, including a flag depicting a tank with the slogan "Victory will be ours" and another with the Order of the Great Patriotic War, linking the current conflict to historical narratives of Soviet heroism. "Alley of Heroes" at Cemetery of the Victims of January 9, St. Petersburg, Russia

🎞️ #3759-19