Putin Hails Soldiers Fighting in Ukraine at Russia’s Victory Day Parade
Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at Western countries and hailed Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine on Monday as he addressed an annual military parade in Moscow that marks the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.
“You are fighting for the motherland, for her future, and so that nobody forgets the lessons of World War II. So that there is no place in the world for executioners, killing squads and Nazis,” Putin told thousands of soldiers on Red Square in central Moscow.
Despite speculation that Putin could use the occasion to announce a mobilization of reservists for the war in Ukraine or proclaim a limited victory, there were no major political announcements. Nor did Putin’s speech contain any threats to use nuclear weapons.
In his televized speech, Putin repeated allegations that NATO and Western countries were planning to use Ukraine to attack Russia, claiming Russia had no choice but to invade Ukraine.
“Russia carried out a pre-emptive rebuff to aggression. It was a necessary, timely, and the only correct decision. It was the decision of a sovereign, strong and independent country,” Putin said of the attack on Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine would not allow Russia to appropriate victory in World War II.
"We are proud of our ancestors who together with other nations in the anti-Hitler coalition defeated Nazism. And we will not allow anyone to annex this victory. We will not allow it to be appropriated," the Ukrainian leader said.
Source: The Moscow Times (in exile), 9 May 2022
