The experts were commenting on the results of a poll conducted by ICM Research for Sputnik in April 2015, which showed that only 13 percent of Europeans think the Soviet Army played the key role in liberating Europe from Nazism during World War II.
Up to 24 percent of European Union citizens could not say who played the major role in changing the course of the war.
"I think that [these misunderstandings] has less to do with the current political situation than it has to do with the state of historical education in the West in general," Anton Fedyashin, director of the Carmel Institute of Russian Culture and History at American University, told Sputnik.
"In the United States I would expect that, because the US experienced the Second World War through the Pacific first and most importantly from the American perspective, and then through Europe," Fedyashin said.
Adrian Churchward, British novelist and screenwriter, attributed the attempts to underplay the role of the Soviet Union in the World War II to a lack of knowledge, understanding and even indifference.
The Soviet casualties in WWII exceeded 27 million, according to historical estimates. The number of military dead was over 8.7 million, which is more than a half of the estimated 14 million allied forces casualties.
On May 9, celebrations will take place in Moscow to commemorate Victory Day. At least 25 heads of state have accepted Moscow's invitation to attend the event. A full list of participants is expected to be announced by the end of April.
