Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday accused the West of forgetting the truth about World War II in his annual speech before the Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square. In the current context of the conflict in Ukraine, he assured that, although Russia does not want a direct confrontation with Western countries, its nuclear forces are always ready.
As it snowed in Moscow, Putin said: “Russia will do everything possible to avoid a global collision, but we will not allow them to threaten us.” And he accused the West of “revengeism”.
The head of the Kremlin recalled the alliance during the Second World War. “Russia has never underestimated the importance of the second front and the help of the allies in the Second World War. Our country honors the courage of all the soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition”, he assured.
On the contrary, he said that “today we are seeing how the West is trying to erase the truth about the war” against Nazi Germany. And he recalled that “the fate of humanity” was decided in the great battles on Soviet territory, in the battles near Moscow, Leningrad, Kursk, Rzhev, Stalingrad, Kharkiv, Minsk, Smolensk and Kyiv.
Putin presided over the coldest Victory Day parade since 1945, according to meteorologists, two days after taking office for a fifth term as Russia’s president after winning the March election in a landslide (87%) , but without true opposition.
The Russian president also recalled in his speech that the Russian “strategic forces”, i.e. nuclear forces, “are always ready for combat”. The nuclear rhetoric, regularly present since the conflict with Ukraine began, has returned this week. Putin ordered drills with tactical nuclear weapons on Monday in response to “threats” Russia has seen in statements by several Western leaders.
More than 9,000 people and 70 combat machines paraded through Moscow’s Red Square, where neither leaders nor ambassadors of “unfriendly countries” were invited. Also passed in front of the tribune next to the Kremlin wall and Lenin’s mausoleum strategic missiles Iarsi tactical missile launchers- M. As is tradition, the mechanized column was headed by a T-34, the legendary tank of the Second World War.
In addition to Moscow, the Victory Day parade was held this year in 25 cities in Russia. There have been more modest commemorative events in 314 more, announced the Minister of Defense, Serguei Xoigú. Several towns in the European part of Russia near Ukraine, including annexed Crimea, suspended parades for security reasons.
It is the third Victory Day that Russia celebrates in the midst of armed conflict with Ukraine. With this holiday, Russia wants to remind the world of the effort and sacrifice (27 million lives) with which the Soviet Union contributed to defeating Nazi Germany, and also to show strong patriotism. The war campaign against Ukraine has driven this sentiment to an all-time high. 94% of Russians consider themselves “patriots of their country”, according to a March survey by the Center for Public Opinion Studies (VTsIOM).
“Russia is going through a difficult period. The fate of the motherland and its future depends on each of us”, said Putin before calling the soldiers fighting on the Ukrainian front “heroes”. “We bow in awe of your steadfastness,” he said.
The first victory parade in Moscow’s Red Square was on June 24, 1945, by the decision of the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin. Despite its significance to the country, the parade has not been held every year and only became annual after it was passed by law in 1995, four years after the end of the USSR.
Since then it has only been altered by extraordinary events, such as in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the bulk of the June 24 military parade. On May 9, there was only a low-key air parade and a simple, lonely ceremony for Putin at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Yesterday, accompanied by the leaders of the friendly countries of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as those of Cuba, Laos and Guinea Bissau, Putin ended his speech with a “For Russia! For the victory!”
