Putin: "Truth and Justice are on our Side"

Russian service members at the Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday.  Credit...Alexander Zemlianichenko/Associated Press

"Truth and justice are on our side."

"The whole country, society, people support the participants of the special military operations."

"[Their determination and bravery has] brought us only victory."

Russian President Vladimir Putin

 

"The presence of world leaders demonstrated that Western efforts to isolate him [Putin] and defeat Russia have failed."

"It is positioning of Russia as an important part of the world."

Tatiana Stanovaya, senior fellow, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Military vehicles, including some of Russia’s armored vehicles used in its invasion of Ukraine, were on display during the parade.  Credit...Kirill Kudryavtsev/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

On Friday, Russian tanks, missiles and drones rumbled their way grandly through Red Square at the annual Victory Day parade to celebrate the surrender of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Some two dozen world leaders joined Russia's President, emphasizing a victory for Vladimir Putin, whom Western Europe, North America and the 'free world' of democratic nations have sanctioned over his fullscale military invasion of Ukraine which he still labels a 'special military operation'.

 

The presence of those world leaders signify that Mr. Putin's isolation is not quite as universal as it should be, as evidenced by the kind of support that disappoints those who support Ukraine, and delights countries like Iran, China and North Korea. In the years immediately following the invasion, the yearly Victory Day celebration was a more muted affair, and Mr. Putin must surely have felt a little lonely surveying it on his own.

 

Reuters

 

This year's 80th anniversary has seen Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the leaders of Slovakia, Serbia, Egypt, Vietnam, Venezuela and others representing Russian-friendly countries to Moscow's most solemn commemoration. In the leadup to the event, Putin projected himself as a confident, respected global leader near to completion of his defeat of Ukraine. For him, there is comfort in the distance that has emerged between Europe, the United States and Ukraine.

 

Iskander ballistic missiles, Russian drones, Tornado-S multiple rocket launchers and TOS-2 Tosochka heavy flame-thrower systems -- all of which have been used in the war against Ukraine -- were on display at the parade. With them rolled the Russian Yars nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile.

 

Sitting beside Xi during the event, Putin often leaned over to speak with his guest, through an interpreter. Following the parade, Putin shook hands with Russian servicemen who fought in the war along with foreign military officers, all of whom saluted him, including a group of senior military officials from North Korea. North Korean special forces have been fighting with Russia to drive the Ukrainian military out of southern Russia's Kursk region.

 

Putin hugs a North Korean officer on Red Square  Ria Novosti

 

While Russia and its allies watched the march-through on Red Square, a group of European foreign ministers were in Ukraine to sign off on a special tribunal to prosecute high-level Russian officials for their aggressive crimes against Ukraine. Foreign ministers from France, Germany and Britain visited Lviv, to formally endorse the tribunal to be set up by the Council of Europe human rights watchdog.

 

The tribunal gained endorsement of 37 states, including most E.U. countries, Britain, Canada and Norway. While Washington had been involved in tribunal talks, under Trump the United States has withdrawn its presence on the tribunal.  

Security precautions in Moscow were high following a number of Ukrainian drone attacks earlier in the week which caused massive disruption at airports. Mobile internet had been cut around the parade area to foil further attacks and sniper teams were to be seen from the Kremlin roof and GUM shopping centre, overlooking Red Square. The Kremlin now equates Ukraine to the Nazis of the Second World War.

 

Members of the Chinese army took part in the parade   Ria Novosti Handout