Russia Marks World War II Victory Day Amid War In Ukraine1 min read

President Vladimir Putin said the world is again at a “turning point.”

He was speaking at a Victory Day event on Red Square in Moscow on Tuesday.

“The West forgot who defeated the Nazis,” he said, repeating his wrongful allegation that Ukraine is similar to Nazi Germany.

The Russian leader still refers to the war in Ukraine as a special military operation saying, “the future of our country depends on it.”

Russia’s celebration of the anniversary of the Soviet’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II is overshadowed by battlefield failures in Ukraine, growing tensions with the West and tighter security for the Kremlin at home.

Dubbed Victory Day, this is one of the biggest national holidays in Russia where people commemorate the sacrifices of the Soviet Union and over 20 million Soviet lives that were lost during World War II.

The holiday comes at as thousands of Russian military personnel have died since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022.

The Kremlin is also reeling from a slew of drone attacks, including one last week which allegedly was meant to assassinate Putin. An unverified video of the drone attack was circulating on social media which showed a drone blast into flames as it hovered above Putin’s premises.

Given the security concerns, authorities have scaled back the annual parade to exclude the traditional flyover and the “Immortal Regiment” processions, in which people carry portraits of relatives who fought against the Nazis. The Kremlin feared many would carry portraits of those who died in the war in Ukraine and show the extent of Russian losses in the ongoing war.