War is possible in a society to which it seems acceptable or natural. War monuments — statues, memorials and architectural ensembles, even churches — erected by the state to commemorate military figures and events play a huge role in desensitizing to war or open militarization. In Russia today, there are more than 4,500 monuments protected as cultural heritage; about 2,500 of them are dedicated to World War II; dozens, if not hundreds, of new monuments to the military people and wars have appeared in the last ten years.
