Fire and Thunder on Red Square: The Kremlin's Spectacle of Power and Patriotism
Russia's president, Putin, stirs patriotism by referencing World War II triumphs, urging Russian support for the Ukraine operation.
On a day marking the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, Moscow's Red Square became a stage for the Kremlin's grand spectacle of power and patriotism—a show of force to intimidate critics, project strength on the global stage, and stir nationalistic fervor among its citizens.
News of over 20 foreign dignitaries, including China's Xi Jinping, descending upon the capital added to the parade's significance—the fourth Red Square event since Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine.
"We are proud of our army and its participants, bravery and determination," Putin proclaimed during the event, using the preferred euphemism for Moscow's ongoing campaign in Ukraine. With around 1,500 troops from Ukraine battles mixed among the 11,000 marching on Red Square, the parade served as a stark reminder of the lingering conflict and its tragic human toll.
Ukraine dismissed the festivities as a "parade of cynicism," accusing the Russian military of countless ceasefire violations, and Kyiv reported strikes in several regions during the truce Putin had declared for the occasion.
Moscow donned red flags and "victory" signs in celebration, with many like Vladimir and his pregnant wife reveling in the capital's military display. At an exclusive dinner for visiting foreign leaders, Putin raised a toast to "victory" the night before the parade.
Some Western critics view Russia's Victory Day celebration as an exercise in justifying the Kremlin's authoritarianism and its unwarranted interference in Ukraine by invoking memories of the Great Patriotic War. Independent experts have debunked the regime's claims of "de-Nazifying" the country, with Ukraine's Western allies united in denouncing Moscow's Ukraine campaign as unfounded aggression.
However, the parade served a dual purpose, simultaneously celebrating the country's past victories and asserting control over a shifting geopolitical landscape.
The event saw the attendance of influential leaders like China's President Xi, underscoring a growing strategic partnership between Russia and China that could further strain Western relations. Slovakia, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, became the sole European Union leader participating in the festivities, despite mounting Western criticism and pressure.
A symbolic show of defiance, Ukraine's Western backers convened in the city of Lviv the day following the parade, preparing to create a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for war crimes in Ukraine.
As Russia continues its military campaign in Ukraine and faces increasing international isolation, the Victory Day parade represents a powerful assertion of the Kremlin's durability and its ambitious global ambitions, despite opposition from the West and international condemnation.
- Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, hundreds of Russians, including Vladimir and his pregnant wife, enthusiastically participated in Moscow's grand spectacle on Red Square.
- The parade held on Red Square, marking the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, was not only a display of Russia's military might but also an implicit assertion of its global ambitions.
- In a show of solidarity, China's President Xi Jinping attended the parade, spotlighting a growing strategic partnership between Russia and China that could alter the dynamic of Western relations.
- The Ukrainian government criticized the Kremlin's Red Square event as a "parade of cynicism," accusing the Russian military of countless ceasefire violations and reporting strikes in several regions during the truce declared for the occasion.
- As the war in Ukraine continues, Ukraine's Western allies are preparing to create a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for war crimes in Ukraine, demonstrating their symbolic show of defiance.
- In the face of mounting international isolation, downloading news about war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, or language content related to Algeria, France, Russia, Ukraine, and their leaders can provide valuable insights into the ongoing conflict and its implications on global politics.
- During the exclusive dinner for visiting foreign leaders, Putin raised a toast to "victory," linking the current military offensive on Ukraine to past victories in World War II and implicitly justifying the Kremlin's authoritarianism and interference in Ukraine.
