Moscow (AP) – Russia marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany during the Second World War with a Massive military parade Friday, President Vladimir Putin attended the Red Place, notably Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva.
Victory day, which is celebrated in Russia May 9is most of the country Important secular holidays. The parade and other ceremonies highlight Moscow’s efforts to project its world power and cement the alliances it has forged while looking for a counterweight in the West in the middle of conflict in Ukraine It led to a fourth year.
Second World War is a rare event in the history of the country’s division under the communist regime which is venerated by all political groups, and the Kremlin used this feeling to encourage national pride and underline the position of Russia as a global power.
The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in what it called the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945, a huge sacrifice which left a deep scar in the national psyche.
Speaking during the parade, Putin praised the Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying that “we are proud of their courage and their determination, their spiritual force which has always brought us victory”.
The parade presented more than 11,500 soldiers and more than 180 military vehicles, including tanks, armored infantry vehicles and artillery used on the battlefield in Ukraine. To recall the nuclear power of Russia, launchers for intercontinental ballistic missiles with Yars nuclear tip have crossed the red square.
The fighter planes of the Russian Air Force aerobatic teams stole in close formation, followed by jets that dragged smoke in the colors of the national flag.
The parade was the most important since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022 and had the greatest attendance of world leaders in a decade.
Thereafter, Putin hugged the hand of Russian military officers who led the troops on the Red square and spoke to a group of North Korean medals officers who watched the parade, hugging one of them.
Last month, Putin thanked North Korea For having fought alongside the Russian troops against the Ukrainian forces and hailed their sacrifices as confirmed by Pyongyang Its deployment for the first time.
The Russian and North Korean statements that underlined their Expansion of military partnerships came after Russia said that his troops completely recovered The Kursk region That the Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise foray last year.
This year’s festivities were overshadowed by Ukrainian drone attacks Targeting Moscow and serious disturbances at the capital’s airports.
On Wednesday morning, the Russian flag carrier canceled more than 100 flights to and from Moscow, and delayed more than 140 others while the soldiers pushed the rehearsal Ukrainian drone attacks against the capital.
Russian authorities have tightened security before the parade and internet mobile phone failures were reported in the midst of electronic countermeasures aimed at thwarting more potential drone attacks.
Putin had declared a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire From May 7, to coincide with the celebrations of the Victory Day, but warned that the Russian troops would retaliate to all the attacks. Moscow is reluctant to accept a 30-day truce proposed by the United States that Ukraine has accepted, binding it to the cessation of Western weapons supplies to Ukraine and the kyiv mobilization effort, the conditions of Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected.
On Friday, the Ukrainian authorities reported dozens of Russian strikes who killed at least two people in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and damaged the buildings.
While the parade of the Red Square and other festivities took place in Moscow, dozens of European officials met in Lviv, in the west of Ukraine, to approve the creation of a special court responsible for pursuing Russian officials accused of war crimes.
“Today, we are celebrating the day of Europe with Ukraine and its inhabitants,” wrote the head of the EU foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, on X, adding that “we are united to Ukraine for lasting peace”.
