Russian President Vladimir Putin evoked the memory of Soviet heroism in the Second World War to inspire his army fighting in Ukraine, but offered no new road map to victory and acknowledged the cost in Russian soldiers’ lives.
Addressing massed ranks of service personnel on Red Square on the 77th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany, Putin condemned what he called external threats to weaken and divide Russia, and repeated familiar arguments that he had used to justify Russia’s invasion on Feb.
24 – that NATO was creating threats right next to its borders. Read more: Trudeau says Putin responsible for ‘heinous war crimes’ during surprise visit to Ukraine He directly addressed soldiers fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which Russia has pledged to “liberate” from Kyiv’s control. “You are fighting for the Motherland, for its future, so that no one forgets the lessons of World War Two.
So that there is no place in the world for executioners, castigators and Nazis,” he said. His speech included a minute of silence. “The death of each one of our soldiers and officers is our shared grief and an irreparable loss for their friends and relatives,” said Putin, promising that the state would look after their children and families.