In a speech delivered as Russia celebrated the anniversary of its triumph over Nazi Germany in the world War II, President Vladimir Putin warned the populace that the entire world was at a historic turning point and that they were involved in a patriotic battle.
“Today, society is once again at a critical crossroads. He delivered a 10-minute address in Moscow’s Red Square on Tuesday, claiming that “a real war has been unleashed against our homeland.”
Before joining the dais outside for a military parade, the leaders of the former Soviet allies Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan were welcomed at the Kremlin. They then placed flowers at the never-extinguishing flame near the Kremlin walls.
Victory Day has become a prominent event under Putin, who claims that independent Ukraine symbolises a resurgence of the World warfare II danger, but this year’s ceremony was scaled back due to security concerns as Russia’s conflict in Ukraine escalates.
Soldiers marched into the square, followed by tanks and nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.
However, a flypast of jets was cancelled, and parades in other towns were cut back or cancelled due to Russian manpower and weapon shortages at the front in Ukraine.
Authorities around the country sponsored the yearly “Immortal Regiment” processions, in which people carried photos of relatives who fought against the Nazis.
The Ukrainian people had become “hostages to a state coup” and to the aspirations of the West, he claimed, and “Western globalist elites” were promoting Russophobia and strong nationalism.
“Their goal, and there is nothing new here, is to achieve the collapse and destruction of our country,” he declared, vowing that Moscow will defeat this.
We have rejected global terrorism. The people of Donbas [in eastern Ukraine] will be safeguarded by us. We’ll take steps to protect ourselves, he added.
This seemed to be a reference to an extraordinary string of strikes on Russian land leading up to the Victory Day parade, including a rumoured drone attack on the Kremlin fortress less than a week ago that Moscow accused Kiev and Washington of carrying out.
No one was hurt in the purported attack, according to Ukraine and the US, which claimed that Kyiv’s fight was defensive in nature.
Putin, though, remained silent on any of the difficulties that Russia is currently facing as its military gets ready for what is anticipated to be a significant Ukrainian counteroffensive. He also failed to present a strategy for winning.
He urged victory for Russia: “For Russia, for our military forces, for triumph! Hurrah!”
Putin reminded the hundreds of soldiers participating in Moscow’s Ukrainian war who were present at the march in Red Square that “the whole country is with you.”
