Vladimir Kharitonov was drafted into the army in 1940 and took part in the war from beginning to end. He experienced everything that a soldier goes through in a war. That's why, of all his numerous front decorations, he cherishes the medal "For Valor" the most. The very first poem, For the Volga, which he sent from Stalingrad in 1942, was published in the Vechernyaya Moskva newspaper. Later on, the poet developed very warm relations with the army and the navy. After the war, Kharitonov enrolled at the Institute for International Relations, then at the Literary Institute. He has written over a thousand songs and 20 books of poetry. Songs such as Victory Day, My Address Is the Soviet Union, How Wonderful This World Is, Russia, My Motherland, Don't You Cry, Baby, Stop That Music, Veterans, and many more have become an integral part of our culture and are considered to be folk songs.

There is hardly a composer, who has not turned to his lyrics. Among those composers are Dmitry Shostakovich, Aram Khachaturian, Anatoly Novikov, Vano Muradeli, Boris Mokrousov, Arno Babadzhanian, Oskar Feltsman, Arkady Ostrovsky, Vladimir Shainsky, and Yevgeny Martynov... The music that I composed to Vladimir Kharitonov's lyrics was a success. I won't cite all songs, just Victory Day," the composer David Tukhmanov said.

"Vladimir Kharitonov's poetry is unusually song-like, and his songs are timeless. He managed to find simple word combinations that easily penetrated the heart of listeners. Who doesn't know his outstanding Victory Day song? It takes us back in time. Although the song was written 30 years after the war, it seems that we have just won the victory with that song," the poet's long-time friend and composer Vladimir Shainsky said sharing his ideas about Vladimir Kharitonov's poems and songs.

"Actually, it is Vladimir Kharitonov who coined the phrase, 'Victory Day.' Prior to 1975, the date of the Great Patriotic War's end was usually called the May 9 Holiday."

This May, the Great Patriotic War veterans and the country as a whole will again sing this song remembering the inconceivable effort it took to bring about this Victory.

Victory Day, how far it was away,
Like coal faintly glimmering in a spent bonfire...
There were miles burned in dust --
We brought that day closer as much as we could.

Refrain:
This Victory Day
Reeks of powder.
This is a holiday
With gray hair on the temples,
This is joy
With tears in the eyes --
Day of Victory, Victory Day!