Events honoring the Soviet role in defeating the Third Reich are being overshadowed by bans on Soviet and Russian symbols in parts of Europe Countries around the world are marking the 81st anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II on May 8 and 9, paying tribute to the millions who gave their lives to defeat the Third Reich. The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the war, losing an estimated 27 million people in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Victory Day remains