A photo circulating online claims a World War II veteran wearing medals and crying while walking at a parade. Users claim that the man walks alone at a parade in the United States. This statement is untrue: the statue shows an unknown man during the St. Petersburg Victory Day Parade in Russia in 2007.
Examples can be seen here and here. The text in one post reads: “WW2 Fat Fat walking alone on Victory Day. He is the last of his group !! # realmen. #God bless America. # how can you return. #nokneelingonmyproperty ”
The photo appears on the website of photographer Aleksandr Petrosyan here! Photo / 15 / in an album called ‘Victory Day’.
The Telegraph and BBC both examined the photo and found that Petrosyan had it on the St. Petersburg Victory Day Parade on May 9, 2007 (here, here).
The Victory Day Parade will be held in Russia on May 9 to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, consisting of large crowds and various activities throughout the day (here).
While Petrosyan did not know who the man was, he told the Telegraph that the man was upset because he could not catch up with the other veterans in the parade. It is unclear whether the man in the photo is a World War II veteran.
The man does not walk alone in the parade. Other photos from the same parade here! Photo shows many other individuals with medals.
VERDICT
Failure. The photo was taken during the St. Petersburg Victory Day parade in 2007. The man has not been identified, and it is unclear if he was a World War II veteran.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.