Preparations intensify for grand Victory Day celebration, dominated by ongoing conflicts with Ukraine, under Putin's leadership.
Get ready to bear witness to the largest, most spectacular Victory Day parade in history on May 9 in Moscow! This grand event commemorates the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II and serves as both a poignant reminder of wartime sacrifices and a showcase for modern political rhetoric.
Russia marks this significant milestone three years into its offensive in Ukraine, following a series of deadly attacks despite US efforts for a peace deal. The Kremlin launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022, aiming to seize the country in a matter of days, but the conflict has since escalated into a massive fight that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
To coincide with the event, Putin has ordered a three-day truce in Ukraine, which Kyiv has denounced as just a "parade ceasefire." Ukraine, which has successfully launched drone attacks on Russia during the conflict, has stated that it cannot accept responsibility for what transpires in Moscow and has reported that some countries have approached them for protection for their leaders attending the parade.
Just three days before the Red Square military parade, Ukraine fired over 100 drones at Russia overnight, including strikes on Moscow, forcing the capital's major airports to temporarily close. Despite the persistent shadow of the conflict, officials promise that this year's commemoration—the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis—will be the grandest to date.
Over the past 25 years of Putin's rule, the Kremlin has transformed May 9 into a holiday celebrating statehood and patriotism. The celebrations include a grand military parade on Red Square, where Putin addresses the nation. Putin has utilized World War II narratives to justify sending troops to Ukraine, vowing to "de-Nazify" the country and comparing the current conflict to the Soviet war effort.
He has repeatedly accused the West of undervaluing Moscow's efforts in World War II and has argued that the Soviet Union was the war's primary victor. In the days leading up to the celebrations, Putin praised the Russian nation—out of all Soviet peoples—for their crucial role in defeating the Nazis.
World War II is officially recognized in Russia as the "Great Patriotic War," commencing with Germany's surprise invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 and ending with Germany's surrender in 1945. The period between 1939 and 1941, during which the Soviet Union had a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany and invaded Poland, is generally glossed over in official history books.
The war had a devastating impact on the Soviet Union, leading to over 20 million civilian and military deaths. Throughout his rule, Putin has drawn upon this national trauma, making May 9 Russia's most important public holiday and championing his army as defenders against Fascism. Authorities have even banned criticism of the military since the onset of the Ukraine offensive and have charged thousands in the most significant domestic crackdown since the Post-Soviet era.
School textbooks introduced amid the offensive portray Ukraine as an "ultra-nationalist state," likening it to the Nazi occupation regime that ruled the country between 1941 and 1944. Ukraine has condemned the event, stating that it holds "nothing to do with the victory over Nazism" and that those marching on Red Square are "quite likely" complicit in crimes against Ukrainians.
Leaders of around 20 countries, including China's Xi Jinping, have accepted invitations to join this year's celebration, according to the Kremlin. Moscow has also not ruled out that North Korean troops will parade on Red Square for the first time. The European Union has warned its members not to travel to Moscow for the event, but Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, has defied Brussels and vowed to attend.
The annual Victory Day parade continues to serve as a symbol of militarized patriotism, bringing together Russians in remembrance of their wartime heritage. However, the event's international legitimacy has diminished as Russia's geopolitical isolation deepens.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin has ordered a three-day truce in the region, which Kyiv calls a mere "parade ceasefire."
- With commemorations for the 80th anniversary of World War II's defeat of the Nazis approaching, Putin has implicitly compared the current war in Ukraine to the Soviet war effort, using this narrative to justify his military intervention.
- In the weeks leading up to the Victory Day parade, numerous foreign leaders, such as China's Xi Jinping, have received invitations to partake in the celebrations, despite the European Union's warnings against attending.
- As Putin delivers his speech on the Red Square during the parade, he is likely to emphasize the role of Russia's military in defeating Fascism, further accentuating the political dimensions of the event within war-and-conflicts and general news discussions.
