The Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War is observed in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine every June 22. This date marks the anniversary of the beginning of the war, which commenced on June 22, 1941, with Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, violating the 1939 Molotov—Ribbentrop Pact. In Belarus, the day specifically honors the heroic defenders of the Brest Fortress, one of the first major battles of the conflict. The fortress, located in Brest, Belarus, was besieged on June 22 and fell on June 29, symbolizing Soviet resistance. On this day, solemn remembrance ceremonies take place at cemeteries and war memorials, where people lay wreaths to honor the memory of all soldiers and civilians who lost their lives during the war. The Great Patriotic War concluded on May 9, 1945, but left the USSR structurally and economically devastated despite its victory.