MOSCOW has hosted a grand military parade in front of dozens of world leaders to mark Victory Day, on the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2.
Putin used Russia’s “biggest-ever” show of pomp and military might to whip up patriotism – but Ukraine has slammed it as a “parade of cynicism”.
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A string of foreign leaders attended the parade in Moscow’s Red Square – including China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Putin took the mic to claim that “peace and justice are on our side,” and that the “whole of Russia” backs his war in Ukraine.
He said: “The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation.
“We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory.”
He claimed that the Soviet Union was responsible for the defeat of Germany.
He said: “We won both wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance.”
Putin’s monologue was followed by a volley of cannon fire and a well-oiled military procession.
Around 11,000 soldiers clutching rifles and flags marched in perfect unison to a thunderous brass band.
Enormous nuclear warheads and armoured tanks trundled past, and fighter jets trailing the colours of Russia’s flag stormed overhead.
Armies from other countries including Egypt and Azerbaijan joined the Russian troops in a symbol of solidarity.
Putin sat next to Xi Jinping, and the two could be seen chatting away as they took in the proceedings.
Vlad later strolled past lines of WW2 veterans, shaking their hands and thanking them for their service.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended the parade despite warnings from Brussels – the only leader from the European Union taking part.
The decadent military display is designed was designed to reinvigorate support for Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The defeat of the Nazis in WW2 is a key part of Russia’s national identity, and Putin has often invoked the history to justify his warmongering.
He said today: “Russia has been and will remain an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism.”
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Ukraine has dismissed Putin’s claims that he launched the offensive to “de-Nazify” the country as “incomprehensible”.
Ahead of the parade, Russia declared a a three-day ceasefire with Ukraine, which began on Wednesday.
But Ukraine has dismissed the truce as a farce and slammed today’s events a “parade of cynicism”.
Kyiv also warned that it cannot guarantee the safety of world leaders attending.
Zelensky again pushed for a longer, 30-day ceasefire, but those pleas continue to fall on deaf Russian ears.
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Ukraine also accused Putin of breaking the ceasefire just hours after it began.
The military reported that Russia continued with assaults in the east and launched around a hundred guided bombs at the northern Sumy region.
The day before the parade, Xi and Putin met in the Kremlin, where the two spoke for more than three hours.
After their meeting, Putin addressed the Chinese leader as his “dear friend”, while the two issued messages of defiance towards the West.
The Soviet Union lost a staggering 27 million people in what it calls the Great Patriotic War in 1941-45, an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche.
Festivities this year were overshadowed by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capitals airports.
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