The Soviet army saved the world from "total and merciless evil", said the President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the military parade on Red Square in Moscow regarding Victory Day, with the message that Rusija and defend their own interests in the current conflict.
In his speech, which focused on the legacy of the Second World War, Putin said that the holiday is celebrated with a sense of pride and gratitude to the generation of winners.
"Our soldier made enormous sacrifices in the name of the freedom of the people of Europe. He became the embodiment of courage, endurance and humanity," Putin said, adding that the Russian character was a key factor that Nazi strategists did not take into account in 1941.
The parade on Red Square on May 9, 2026 lasted about 45 minutes and became one of the shortest in the modern history of these events.
Photo: Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via APMore humble than ever
Only as a guarantor of the country's success
Putin praised the army, but also workers, scientists and doctors, stressing that unity and spiritual strength are the guarantors of the country's success.
In a brief reference to the war in Ukraine, which he calls a "special military operation," Putin said the Russian army is fighting NATO-backed aggression.
"I firmly believe that our cause is just. We are together. Victory has always been and will always be ours," said the Russian president.
A modest parade
Photo: AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, PoolNo big military presentation.
Unlike last year's parades for the Victory Day held in the same place, which was attended by some world leaders, among whom was Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia, and where the huge Russian military force was presented, was much more modest.
It was held without military vehicles for the first time in nearly 20 years, a significant break from the Putin-era tradition of using the event to demonstrate Russian military power.
This year's parade lasted about 45 minutes and became one of the shortest in the modern history of these events.
Under President Vladimir Putin, Victory Day - the date Russians commemorate the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II - has become a central event in the annual calendar, with thousands of soldiers and dozens of military vehicles parading through Red Square, The Moscow Times reports.
Zelensky allowed the event to take place
This year's parade in Moscow was accompanied by an unusual move by Kyiv. President Ukraine On Friday (May 8), Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree "allowing" the event to be held on Red Square.
Zelenski stated in the decree that this is being done "for humanitarian purposes", and after negotiations with the American side.
According to that document, the Red Square sector was temporarily excluded from the operational plan for the use of Ukrainian weapons during the parade.
Source: FoNet/The Moscow Times
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
