Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of being against Russia for its war against Ukraine, which began on February 24th, 2022, during his speech at the annual Victory Day parade held in Moscow on May 9th. According to CNN, Putin accused the West of initiating a “true war” against Russia, using Ukraine as a pawn in their “cruel and selfish plans.”
Putin’s annual speech on Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, is a significant event in his calendar as he uses it to boost public support, showcase Russia’s military power, and criticize Western nations for their perceived historical injustices against Russia.
The parade in Moscow’s Red Square drew thousands of people, with more than 10,000 participants and 125 units of various weapons and equipment on display. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu provided this information. In previous years, world leaders, such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, have attended the parade as a display of solidarity, but such demonstrations of support have diminished in recent years due to Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which have fractured diplomatic relations.
During his speech, Putin claimed falsely that the West had provoked the war in Ukraine, saying, “A true war has been unleashed against our motherland.” He added that Russia had repelled international terrorism and will defend the residents of Donbas and ensure its own safety.
He also claimed that Russia has no unfriendly nations in the West or East and that it wants to see a peaceful, free, and stable future, and that any ideology of supremacy is “repulsive, criminal, and deadly.”
The USSR suffered the most casualties of any nation in World War II, with approximately 27 million soldiers and civilians dying. Victory Day marks the signing of Germany’s Instrument of Surrender on May 8, 1945, which ended fighting in Europe. Putin used the occasion to criticize the West and its allies and to reinforce his position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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