During the parade on Red Square, Vladimir Putin again claimed the inevitable 'victory' of Russia in the war against Ukraine and accused NATO of participating in the conflict. The parade took place against the backdrop of heightened security measures and the shutdown of mobile internet in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his speech at the military parade in Moscow in honor of May 9, again stated that Russia will win the war against Ukraine.
In his speech, he traditionally referred to the war as a "special military operation" and emphasized several times that not only Ukraine but the entire NATO bloc is allegedly fighting against Russia.
Putin's speech was relatively short, but it almost entirely focused on the themes of war, history, and confrontation with the West.
Separately, the Russian leader thanked the participants in the war on the side of Russia — military personnel, officials, defense enterprises, as well as "military correspondents."
The parade on Red Square took place under heightened security measures. Shortly before it began, mobile internet was disabled in Moscow, as reported by Russian media.
On the stands with Putin were Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
This time, Russian authorities announced in advance that military equipment would not participate in the parade. The official reason cited was the risks of possible strikes from Ukraine.
The issue of security surrounding the parade this year was particularly acute following recent drone attacks and tensions around Moscow.
Earlier, Russian authorities warned that in the event of an attempt to "disrupt" the parade, Russia could launch a massive missile strike on Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not directly threaten Moscow, but stated that the Russian leadership fears the appearance of Ukrainian drones over Red Square.
After announcing a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Zelensky signed a decree allowing the parade to take place and prohibiting strikes on Red Square during the event.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the situation surrounding the war and security in the region remains tense, and May 9 once again became a platform for political and military statements from Moscow.
