“We want to see a peaceful, free and stable future,” he said, while reminding the soldiers present that “nothing is more important now than your military task.”
A solemn speech on the occasion of May 9th. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the world was at “a turning point”, and accused Western countries of orchestrating a “war” against Russia, before calling for “victory” during military celebrations on the Red Square in Moscow.
“Civilization is again at a turning point. A war has been launched against our homeland”, he launched in front of thousands of soldiers and the Russian political elite gathered to commemorate the Nazi defeat in 1945, celebrations which will are taking place this year in the shadow of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
During this speech, the strong man of the Kremlin addressed his soldiers. “Nothing is more important now than your military task,” he said, before launching: “For Russia, for our valiant armed forces, for victory! Hooray!”
“New Neo-Nazism”
The Russian leader also accused the “globalized Western elites” of “pitting peoples against each other, dividing societies, provoking bloody conflicts”, statements whose content and form recall those which emanated from Moscow at the Cold War era.
“Their goal is to bring about the collapse and destruction of our country”, further accused Vladimir Putin, who presents his offensive against Ukraine as a measure aimed at defending Russia against supposed Western aggression. “We want to see a peaceful, free and stable future,” he said.
“In some countries, we are destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers, we are creating a cult for the Nazis and their accomplices, we are trying to destroy monuments to real heroes”, he accused, pointing out “some” of wanting to “create a new neo-Nazism.”
After the Russian president’s brief address, thousands of military personnel marched through Moscow’s iconic Red Square, waving Russian and Soviet flags.
Organized every year, these commemorations of the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 take place this year in the shadow of Moscow’s offensive against Ukraine, marked by a series of humiliating setbacks for the Russian army.
