Russian President, Vladimir Putin disclosed at his country’s Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, that “a real war” has been unleashed against Russia by the West’s “untamed ambitions.”
“Today civilisation is again at a decisive turning point,” he said.
“A real war has again been unleashed against our Motherland but we have countered international terrorism, we will protect the inhabitants of the Donbas and we will protect our country.”
Vladimir Putin
Putin disclosed that Russia wants to see a “peaceful future”, but he accused Western elites of sowing the seeds of “hatred and Russophobia”. He continued taking aim at the West in his speech, saying “their goal is nothing else but to see the fall of our country”.
Putin called a minute’s silence for the war dead. “In memory of the sons, fathers, grandfathers,” and other relatives, he said. Crowds and leaders alike stood in the Red Square observing the silence as a clock could be heard ticking for every second that passed.
Also, the Russian President averred, “Battles that decide the fate of our motherland have always become national and sacred.” He added that “there is nothing more important” than their combat work, as Russia’s security counts on the work of those in the front line. “Everybody is praying for you,” he told the soldiers at the Red Square.
Putin asserted that he is proud of soldiers who are participating in what he calls Russia’s “special military operation”, saying that Russia’s statehood and future depends on these people. He added that everyone is united to support our “heroes”.
As he concluded his speech, Putin stated, “There is no cause stronger in the world than our love for our armed forces.” “To Russia, to our armed forces, to victory” he added.
A Modest Parade
The parade looked more modest than usual. There were no military aircraft flying over Red Square, and fewer pieces of military equipment were displayed. For the first time in years, the parade ended in under an hour.
The Immortal Regiment processions, in which crowds take to the streets holding portraits of relatives who died or served in World War II; another pillar of the holiday, have also been canceled in multiple cities.
The pared-down celebrations come after ambiguous official reports last week that two Ukrainian drones flew into the heart of Moscow under the cover of darkness and reached the Kremlin before being shot down. The Kremlin tagged it as an attempt at Putin’s life; Ukraine denied involvement.
Meanwhile, for the first time since 2020, Putin succeeded in persuading a handful of international leaders to sit on the podium with him in Red Square.
In 2021, only the President of Tajikistan showed up because of the COVID pandemic. Last year, Putin was the only major leader there as Central Asian leaders in particular distanced themselves from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This year all the Central Asian leaders were present, including Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko and Armenia’s Prime Minister.
In his speech, Putin insisted that the West’s “untamed ambitions, arrogance and impunity” are to blame for the conflict.
Since Russia invaded its neighbor more than 14 months ago, Putin has repeatedly framed the war in Ukraine as a proxy conflict with the West.
The Kremlin’s official narrative of the war has painted a picture of an existential conflict with the West, which in Moscow’s view is merely using Ukraine as a tool to destroy Russia, re-write its history and crush its traditional values.
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