One look at the Web site devoted to the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War is enough for you to understand that officials have finally grasped the Internet’s propaganda power. The sensations it evokes are subjective: if as a teenager, I had had access to such an intelligent, interesting and diversified source of information about the Great Patriotic War, I would have probably signed up for the Suvorov Military Academy straight away.

The Web site, which is supported by RIA Novosti, is worth praising not for its design (though it is simple and convenient) and the official part, but for everything else. For example, there is a photo selection offering images devoted to a particular topic or taken by a particular photographer (e.g., the well-known correspondent Georgy Zelma). Then, there is the regular publication, Partisan’s Page, which describes how to interrogate a Nazi POW, for example. The site also covers international news dealing with the Great Patriotic War. It offers true stories sent by the readers (My “Simple” Victory). It contains useful references to resources available on ru.net, presents different opinions on the war expressed by people living overseas, and features amusing stories and analytical articles on the topic. It also has a section, The Other War, containing some Germans’ memories about how the war came to Berlin. The resource thankfully avoids any whiff of official tones and does not engage in any mudslinging.