Putin Invokes WWII Legacy at Victory Day Parade

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin used Saturday's Victory Day parade on Moscow's Red Square to cast his forces in Ukraine as defenders facing down the full military weight of the NATO alliance, declaring that Russian soldiers are confronting "an aggressive force" armed and sustained by the entire bloc.

Addressing the crowds gathered to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph in World War II, Putin drew an explicit line between past and present, saying the "generation of victors inspires the soldiers who carry out special military operations tasks today."

He further stated that Russian scientists and engineers are pressing ahead with the development of next-generation weaponry and scaling up mass production, "drawing on modern combat experience." Putin also paid tribute to the Soviet people's role in the defeat of Nazism, describing their contribution as decisive in saving not only their homeland but the world at large.

A Show of Allied Solidarity
The parade drew a notable roster of foreign dignitaries to Red Square, with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, and Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar among those in attendance.

Marching in the parade were personnel from Russia's ongoing "special military operation," cadets from military academies, representatives from across the Russian Armed Forces, and — notably — soldiers from the North Korean army.

Ceasefires, Violations, and a Fragile Truce
The commemorations were shadowed by diplomatic maneuvering. Ahead of the celebrations, Russia's Defense Ministry proposed a two-day ceasefire for May 8–9, warning Kyiv of a "massive" missile retaliation should the events be disrupted. Ukraine responded by announcing its own unilateral ceasefire, to take effect from midnight Tuesday — yet both governments subsequently accused the other of breaching the separately declared truces.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that Russia and Ukraine had reached agreement on a ceasefire and a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, offering his appreciation to both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the deal.

"Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War. Talks are continuing on ending this Major Conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day," Trump added.

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