Russia defending 'motherland' in Ukraine, says Putin on Victory Day
Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the annual grand parade commemorating Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II on Monday, saying the Russian military in Ukraine was protecting the "motherland" from an "absolutely unacceptable threat." On the 77th Victory Day, Putin said, "Today, it is our common duty to prevent the rebirth of Nazism, which caused so much suffering to the peoples of different countries."
- Russia celebrated its 77th Victory Day to commemorate the Soviet win over Nazi Germany on Monday with grand parades and marches at the historic Red Square, featuring 11,000 soldiers and over 130 military vehicles.
- Putin justified the Russia-Ukraine war as a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "de-nazify" Ukraine—a former Soviet republic—that came into existence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The Russian president blamed the war on Ukraine and the West, saying Kyiv and its allies were planning an "invasion of our historical lands," including the Russian-speaking Donbas region and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. He went on to say that NATO was posing a threat to Russia's borders, citing NATO's weapons shipments to Ukraine and the deployment of international advisors as examples.
"Today, our soldiers, as their ancestors, are fighting side by side to liberate their native land from the Nazi filth with the confidence that, as in 1945, victory will be ours," said Putin, who sent Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24. Putin, however, added that it is critical "to do everything so that the horror of a global war doesn't happen again."
Despite Western media reports that Putin would announce an intensification of the Ukraine war, Putin made no big announcements. Instead, he sought public support by comparing the war with what Russians refer to as the "Great Patriotic War." Putin stated Russia had no choice but to undertake a pre-emptive response, calling it the "only right decision" for a "sovereign, strong, and independent country."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Russia's annual Victory Day celebration by saying Ukraine would win the war and would not cede any territory. "We won't allow it (Victory Day) to be appropriated," Zelenskyy added. Both Ukraine and Russia have compared the actions of the enemy army to those of Nazi Germany, whose defeat is commemorated on May 9 in former Soviet countries.
Meanwhile, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen stated Europe is on Ukraine's side, slamming Russia for waging an "atrocious war" and "senseless aggression." She made the remarks on May 9—what Europe calls "Europe Day"—commemorating the Schuman Declaration, which led to the gradual EU formation. "The Kremlin's [Ukraine] invasion reminds us why we're celebrating Europe Day...when a peaceful, prosperous Europe was born," she said.
