MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin vowed on Friday that Russia would win in Ukraine as the Soviet Union had in World War II, as he sought to rally support at a Moscow military parade put on before key allies. Putin sat with China’s President Xi Jinping watching a procession of thousands of troops - some of whom fought in Ukraine - and an array of weapons including new tanks and drones to mark the defeat of the Nazis 80 years ago. More than two dozen world leaders were in Moscow for the occasion.

Since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, Putin has drawn parallels between the Soviet war effort and his own military campaign that has killed many thousands and seen Moscow occupy a fifth of its neighbor. “The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation,” Putin said, addressing the parade. “We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory,” he added.

The ex-KGB spy, who has led the country for 25 years, said: “Russia has been and will remain an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism.” Moscow claims it launched its offensive to “de-Nazify” Ukraine - narratives rejected by Kyiv, the West and independent experts. At home, Russia has banned criticism of its offensive and hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled their country.

Snipers, N Koreans, drones

Security was tight ahead of the parade, with Moscow fearing it could be targeted by Ukraine. Snipers were positioned on a luxury shopping mall that runs alongside Red Square and mobile internet was jammed. “Russia! Russia!” crowds chanted as Putin walked in front of the stands, escorted by bodyguards. Around 1,500 troops that had fought in Ukraine were among 11,000 marching on Red Square, state media reported.

The parade also featured military hardware, including attack drones for the first time and more tanks than in previous years.

After the procession, Putin greeted heavily decorated North Korean commanders who led Pyongyang’s forces that helped Russia recapture its western Kursk region from Ukraine. “All the best to you and all your troops,” Putin said. Chinese troops took part in the parade, which came a day after Putin and Xi held formal talks.

‘Sacred duty’

Putin has long said that the Soviet Union and primarily Russia were the main victors in WWII and on Friday called his nation the “heirs of victors”. Olga Zhuravleva, whose father and grandfather fought in WWII, decried US President Donald Trump for saying the war was “mostly accomplished because of us.” “Complete nonsense,” she said, adding that she feels “great” pride for her country.

The Soviet Union lost more than 20 million civilians in WWII - including Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Central Asians and other peoples. Under 25 years of Putin’s rule, the Kremlin has promoted a patriotic vision of WWII - praising military feats, while glossing over the Soviet-Nazi Pact and the 1939 invasion of Poland. Some spectators in Moscow expressed pride at this year’s parade. “I was delighted,” 65-year-old university lecturer Elena Gogoleva told AFP. “Watching the parade is a sacred duty for me. It’s good that we are not alone,” she said.

Tribunal

Putin ordered his army to halt attacks against Ukraine for three days to mark the holiday, but Kyiv has accused Russia of violating the truce hundreds of times. Ukrainian soldiers operating in the direction of the embattled city of Pokrovsk told AFP that fighting continued despite the truce. But a lull in some attacks allowed them to evacuate wounded and dead soldiers, they said. In the days before the parade, Ukraine fired dozens of drones at Moscow, forcing airports to shut and disrupting hundreds of flights. But there were no reports of attempted attacks on the capital Friday.

In Russia’s western Belgorod region, authorities said a Ukrainian drone hit the regional government building, wounding two people. Kyiv argues Russia’s May 9 celebrations have “nothing to do with the victory over Nazism” and that those marching on Red Square were “quite likely” implicit in crimes against Ukrainians. As Putin saluted his troops, EU foreign ministers were in Ukraine’s Lviv in a show of support. They approved the creation of a tribunal for Moscow to face punishment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said leaders from the “coalition of the willing” - European states that may send troops to Ukraine to enforce a possible ceasefire - would gather in Ukraine on Saturday. - AFP