‘Whole of Russia’ supports Ukraine invasion, Putin tells Victory Day parade

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said the “whole” of Russia supports the Kremlin´s Ukraine offensive, addressing the Red Square military parade to mark the end of WWII on Friday, though Moscow has banned criticism of the three-year military campaign.

“The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation,” Putin said, adding: “We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory.”Sitting alongside China’s Xi Jinping, the Russian president watched thousands of troops – as well as drones, ballistic missiles and tanks – parade across Red Square to mark 80 years since the defeat of the Nazis.

On the sidelines, Putin made a point of embracing a North Korean general whose troops were instrumental in pushing back Ukrainian forces in Kursk. Putin vowed that Moscow would be victorious in Ukraine just as the Soviet Union was in the Second World War.

“Russia has been and will remain an unbreakable barrier to Nazism, Russophobia, and anti-Semitism,” Putin declared. He added that “truth and justice” are on Russia’s side and that the “entire country” supports those fighting in what he described as the special military operation.

“We are proud of their courage and determination, of the strength of spirit that has always led us to victory,” he said. Russia has outlawed criticism of its military campaign, prompting thousands of citizens to flee the country.

For the first time, Russia featured attack drones in its Victory Day parade – including models used in Ukraine – alongside dozens of military vehicles. It marked a shift from recent years, when few tanks were displayed due to their deployment on the front lines.

Around 1,500 troops who had fought in Ukraine were among 11,000 marching on Red Square, according to state media. Some 20 other world leaders, including Robert Fico, the Slovakian prime minister, who defied Brussels to become the only EU member to attend, stood alongside Putin.

Mr Fico placed flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which serves as a tribute to unidentified soldiers who died defending the Soviet Union and is one of the most revered sites in Russia.

In a notable gesture, Putin paid special attention to the North Korean delegation when greeting military leaders, embracing one of the generals after shaking his hand – a level of familiarity not extended to others.

Pyongyang recently sent thousands of troops to Russia to help Moscow oust Ukrainian troops from its Kursk region. “All the best to you and all your troops,” Putin was heard saying.

In his opening speech, Putin went on to say that the Soviet Union “determined the outcome” of the Second World War. He stated the USSR “took upon itself the strongest attacks of our enemies, and our citizens picked up arms and defended the front lines”.