Russian soldiers are facing “an aggressive force” armed and supported by the whole of NATO, President Vladimir Putin declared on Saturday.
Delivering a speech at the Victory Day parade on Red Square marking the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, Putin said the “victor generation inspires the soldiers who today carry out the tasks of the special military operation.”
He said Russian scientists and engineers are developing advanced weapons and expanding mass production, “drawing on modern combat experience.”
Referring to the Second World War, Putin stressed that the Soviet people made a decisive contribution to the defeat of Nazism, and saved their country and the entire world.
The parade took place in the presence of several foreign leaders, including the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokaevthe Uzbek président Chavkat Mirzioïevthe Laotian president Thongloun Sisoulith and the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.
Personnel involved in Russia’s “special military operation”, cadets from higher military educational institutions and members of various branches of the Russian armed forces took part in the parade, as well as servicemen from the North Korean army.
Before the commemorations, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Monday a proposed two-day ceasefire for Victory Day celebrations on May 8 and 9, and warned Ukraine of a “massive” missile response if the celebrations were held. disturbed.
Later in the day, Ukraine announced that it would also observe a unilateral ceasefire from midnight on Tuesday.
However, both sides subsequently accused each other of violating ceasefires announced separately by Russia and Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire and an exchange of 1,000 prisoners for 1,000, welcoming the agreement reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky
“Let’s hope this is the beginning of the end of a very long, bloody and hotly contested war. “Talks continue to end this major conflict, the largest since World War II, and we get closer every day,” Trump added.
*Translated from English by Mariem recognizes
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