Russia’s Vladimir Putin while addressing the Victory Day parade said that Russia is fighting for the motherland. He condemned external threats to weaken and divide Russia.
Russia is fighting for the homeland in Ukraine, says Vladimir Putin at the Victory Day parade in Moscow. (Photo: Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday drew parallels between the Red Army’s fight against Nazi troops and fighting in Ukraine during World War II.
Speaking at a military parade to mark the victory of World War II over the Nazis, Putin said campaign in Ukraine It was a timely and necessary step to prevent a possible invasion.
During an address marking the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, Putin denounced external threats to weaken and divide Russia. He reiterated that NATO is posing a threat to Russia right near its borders.
Addressing soldiers fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, he said, “You are fighting for the motherland, for its future, so that no one forgets the lessons of World War II. So that in the world for the executioners, the punks. No space. And the Nazis.”
Putin promised that the deaths of each of the Russian soldiers and officers were a shared grief and an irreparable loss. He assured that the state will take care of their children and families.
The Russian leader did not mention Ukraine by name, gave no combat assessment and gave no indication of how long the invasion might continue.
(with inputs from AP)
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