While the Russian army launched 25 missiles on Ukraine in the night, 15 on Kiev (most were shot down by anti-aircraft fire), Vladimir Putin shows up at the parade on Red Square on the anniversary day of the victory over Nazi Germany in Second World War.
"A real war has been unleashed against Russia but we have defeated terrorism," said the Russian president. The West "provokes bloody conflicts", sows the seeds of "Russophobia" and claims to "dictate its rules to all nations" . "The future of Russian sovereignty depends on the participants in the special military operation", he added, praising "victory" at the end of his speech: "Nothing is stronger than our unity".
Under the walls of the Kremlin , thousands of soldiers with their weapons parade as scheduled. But the traditional march of the Immortal Regiment, i.e. the descendants of fighters against the Third Reich who parade with photographs of their relatives, was canceled for security reasons. Last year, Putin took part in it himself, showing his father's photograph.
Only a handful of foreign heads of state and government attend the parade : those of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Some of the former Soviet republics to which Putin sent a message calling for joint struggle against Hitler as members of the USSR. «It is our moral duty to preserve the sacred traditions of friendship and mutual assistance handed down from our fathers and grandfathers, not to allow the historical truth about the Great Patriotic War to be distorted and not to allow the justifications of the Nazis, their accomplices and their current ideological heirs Putin said. Referring, clearly, to Kiev.
Russia "will overcome all the challenges and threats of hostile forces" at the conclusion of its "sacred struggle to achieve international justice" and against the "arbitrary practices of the imperialists", North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in a message of Congratulations.
Meanwhile, the president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kiev : «It's nice to be back in Kiev. Where the values dear to us are defended every day. It is therefore an appropriate place to celebrate Europe Day. I welcome President Zelensky's decision to make 9 May Europe Day here in Ukraine as well".
In the meantime, a new aid package from the United States will be announced shortly , which will provide an additional $1.2 billion to Kiev to further strengthen its air defenses. The plan is expected to be made official today and the money will be provided under Ukraine's Security Assistance Initiative. Unlike American weapons, munitions and equipment that are most frequently sent to Ukraine from Pentagon stockpiles, the money will have to be spent in the coming months or even years to secure Ukraine's future security needs . This appropriation will fund Hawk air defense systems, munitions and air defense drones.
(Unioneonline/D)