Russia held a Victory Day celebration marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, where Vladimir Putin delivered a speech attacking NATO and Ukraine, affirming that Russia's war objectives are now justified.
On 9 May 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the Victory Day parade on Red Square, stating that his troops in Ukraine are fighting "aggressive forces" fully supported by NATO, and he asserted that his war aims are "justified."
Putin has long emphasized the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II as a central theme of his 25-year rule, with Russia typically holding grand and spectacular Victory Day parades.
However, this year, due to multiple recent long-range Ukrainian attacks, the Kremlin government increased security measures and scaled down the celebrations.
This year's parade was significantly smaller than in previous years, featuring no military equipment on display for the first time in nearly two decades, and only a few foreign dignitaries attended, mostly leaders from Russia's closest allied countries.
Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to observe a three-day ceasefire during the events, following a proposal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. Previously, Moscow had threatened a "major" strike on central Kyiv if Ukraine interfered with the proceedings.
In his speech before the parade, which included Russian troops and soldiers from North Korea, Putin invoked the Soviet victory to rally support for his forces in Ukraine.
"The great feats of the generation of victory inspire the soldiers carrying out the goals of today’s special military operation," Putin said. "They are confronting aggressive forces armed and supported by all of NATO, yet our heroes continue to advance."
"I firmly believe that our mission is justified," Putin declared.
However, the speech was met with a lukewarm response from some Russians amid internet outages and fatigue from the protracted four-year Ukraine conflict, which dampened the celebratory atmosphere.
AFP interviewed "Elena," a 36-year-old economist, about her feelings on Victory Day, commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. She said, "I don’t feel anything... I want to use the internet, but it’s not working now." She also said she would not watch the parade.
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Source:cna