Russia celebrates on Tuesday the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two with a parade in Red Square amid tight safety following a collection of drone assaults, together with on the Kremlin citadel itself, that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine.
Victory Day is without doubt one of the most essential public holidays in Russia, when folks commemorate the large sacrifices made by the Soviet Union throughout what known as the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45, through which round 27 million residents perished.
This anniversary is much more emotionally charged as Russia mourns hundreds of troopers killed within the almost 15-month warfare in Ukraine which exhibits no signal of ending.
Russia can be reeling from drone assaults, together with one on the Kremlin on May 3 which it stated was an try and assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine, which is anticipated shortly to launch a counteroffensive to retake land, denies involvement.
Putin has repeatedly likened the Ukraine warfare – which he casts as a battle towards “Nazi”-inspired nationalists – to the problem the Soviet Union confronted when Hitler invaded in 1941.
Kyiv says that is absurd and accuses Russia of behaving like Nazi Germany by waging an unprovoked warfare of aggression and seizing Ukrainian territory.
Putin, his defence minister and different senior officers are anticipated to evaluation the Red Square parade, which normally contains tanks, intercontinental missile launchers and marching troops.
However, reflecting elevated safety issues brought on partly by the drone assaults, authorities have cancelled the normal flyover. There have additionally been stories of fewer troopers and fewer army {hardware} becoming a member of this yr’s parade because the Ukraine battle takes a heavy toll on males and tools.
Authorities nationwide have cancelled the “Immortal Regiment” processions, the place folks carry portraits of relations who fought towards the Nazis.
‘SACRED BORDERS’
Putin will ship a speech in Red Square, the place he will probably be joined by leaders of a number of ex-Soviet republics. In final yr’s handle he made no point out of Ukraine however slammed the NATO army alliance for increasing to Russia’s borders and hailed Soviet heroism in resisting Hitler.
Since then, Finland – which borders Russia – has additionally joined NATO.
“May no one ever again encroach on the sacred borders of our Fatherland,” stated Patriarch Kirill, head of the highly effective Russian Orthodox Church and a detailed Putin ally, as he laid flowers on Monday on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in central Moscow.
“But in order for this to be so, our country must be strong because a country that is feared is not attacked.”
Asked on Monday about cancellations of some Victory Day occasions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed Ukraine: “When we have to deal with a state that is de facto a sponsor of terrorism, then it is better to take precautionary measures.”
As nicely because the assault on the Kremlin compound, Moscow additionally blames Ukraine for drone strikes over the previous week on gas depots, freight trains and a number of targets in Crimea, which Russia forcibly annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Moscow additionally accused Kyiv and the West of finishing up a automotive bombing on Saturday that wounded a outstanding Russian nationalist author, Zakhar Prilepin.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy aggravated Russia on Monday by shifting the day that his nation marks the allied victory over Nazi Germany to May 8, aligning it with Western nations in a repudiation of its Soviet previous.
Russia’s overseas ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova branded Zelenskiy a “traitor”, saying he had betrayed the reminiscence of Ukrainians who died combating the Nazis.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
