Vladimir Putin addresses military parade in Red Square

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin addressed Russian troops at the annual Victory Day military parade in Moscow’s Red Square, an event commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany.
Putin again defended Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, blaming Kyiv and the West for the ongoing conflict. Putin alleged that the West was preparing to invade Russian land, adding that their military campaign in Ukraine was a necessary pre-emptive response to Western policies.
Putin has repeatedly compared Russia’s offensive in Ukraine to Soviet Russia’s fight against Nazi troops, referring to Ukrainian authorities as “neo-Nazis.”
Putin stated, “You are fighting for the Motherland, for its future, so that no one forgets the lessons of World War Two. So that there is no place in the world for executioners, castigators, and Nazis.”
Putin also observed a minute’s silence as he acknowledged the deaths of Russian military personnel and promised state support for their families.