Putin Slams NATO at Victory Day Parade

Putin Denounces NATO at Victory Day Parade Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday used his annual Victory Day speech in Moscow's Red Square to justify the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and criticize NATO. Speaking before military personnel, Putin characterized the conflict as a "just" war, asserting that Ukraine is an "aggressive force" supported by the entire NATO bloc. This year's celebrations, commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany, were notably scaled back across Russia due to security concerns.

The parade in Moscow featured military personnel marching under tightened security, but for the first time in years, armored vehicles and ballistic missiles were absent. Putin commenced his address by honoring Soviet soldiers from World War Two, drawing parallels to current military operations in Ukraine. He stated, "The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the soldiers carrying out the goals of the special military operation today," referring to the four-year conflict.

Foreign dignitaries attending included Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was the sole European Union representative present. The number of attending world leaders was significantly lower compared to the previous year's 80th-anniversary parade, which hosted 27 leaders. Following the parade, Putin laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and attended a Kremlin reception.