Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended Russia’s war in Ukraine and accused NATO of supporting aggression against his country during this year’s Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Speaking at the annual event held at Red Square on Friday, Putin described the war in Ukraine as a “just” conflict.
He said Russian troops were confronting “an aggressive force armed and supported by the whole bloc of NATO.”
Putin said the sacrifices made by Soviet soldiers during World War II continue to inspire Russian troops currently fighting in Ukraine.
Victory Day is one of Russia’s most important national celebrations, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.
This year’s parade was smaller than usual due to security concerns and fears of possible Ukrainian drone attacks.
Unlike previous years, the event did not feature tanks, ballistic missiles or other major military hardware.
Russian authorities said the parade was reduced because of the current security situation. Russian lawmaker Yevgeny Popov had earlier said Russian tanks were “busy right now.”
Several foreign leaders attended the ceremony, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was the only European Union leader present.
After the parade, Putin laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before attending a reception at the Kremlin.
The ceremony also coincided with a temporary three-day ceasefire announced by Russia earlier this week.
However, Russia’s defence ministry later accused Ukraine of violating the truce without providing evidence. Ukraine had not responded to the allegation at the time of reporting.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, triggering the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.
