Russia has dismissed speculations that it will declare an all-out war in Ukraine in the coming days, calling them “nonsense”.
Moscow has up till now, denied that it is at war with Ukraine, but rather referred to the invasion as a “special military operation”. But Western Officials have speculated that Russian President, Vladimir Putin, could use the upcoming May 9, 2022, Victory Parade to announce an escalation of military action. But Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, slammed the speculations, saying there is no truth to the rumours “at all”.
UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, disclosed last week that Moscow’s parade, commemorating the defeat of the Nazis and World War Two, might be used to drum up support for a mass mobilisation of troops and renew push into Ukraine.
“I would not be surprised, and I don’t have any information about this, that he is probably going to declare on this May Day that ‘we are now at war with the world’s Nazis and we need to mass mobilise the Russian people'”.
UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace
Before the start of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022, Russian officials only referred to the invasion as a “special military operation” to “demilitarise” or “de-Nazify” the country, referencing a baseless claim about Nazis in the Ukrainian government which Moscow continues to use to justify the invasion.
Moving from a Victory Parade to Military Action
Again, as part of the upcoming annual parade in Moscow, there are also longstanding reports that suggest that the Kremlin is planning some sort of additional parade in the City of Mariupol in the Southern part of Ukraine, almost all of which is currently under Russian control. Ukrainian forces remain in one area of the city, which is a vast industrial steelworks called Azovstal.
Recent reports suggest that after the recent successful evacuation of some civilians, attacks on the steelworks have resumed and contact has been lost with the last remaining soldiers inside the city.
State of Maripoul City
Ukrainian Officials averred the streets of the city centre are being cleared of debris, dead bodies as well as unexpected bombs. Large parts of the city lie in ruins after Russian forces bombarded it relentlessly for weeks under siege.
Ukrainian Politician, Alyona Shkrum, in an interview with the media said she is expecting things to become more difficult alongside Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
“For Putin and for the empire, he’s trying to build, basically this is a symbolic day, right?. So he takes some kind of victory day and he turns it into a big fight right now against Nazis, which is obviously Russian propaganda and it is completely ridiculous. We are expecting that there will be quite tough times here in Kyiv and in Odesa and in Mariupol, and in other cities for 9 May.”
Ukrainian Politician, Alyona Shkrum
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