“No one will threaten us”: Putin combative during WWII commemoration, although he also acknowledges that it is a “difficult transition period”

Today Russia commemorates the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany. Putin sounded combative in his speech on Red Square.

“Russia will do everything it can to avoid a global clash. But at the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us. Our strategic forces are always ready for a fight,” Russian President Putin said during his speech on Red Square. Earlier Thursday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia feels obliged to increase its nuclear preparedness due to the “escalating” course taken by the West.

Today Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany during WWII. This is annually accompanied by a military parade on Moscow Square and a speech by the Russian president. Putin accuses the West of “preferring to forget the lessons of World War Two”, while he says he “honors the courage of all soldiers of the coalition against Hitler, the members of the resistance and underground partisans”.

“Today we see how they (the West, ed.) trying to distort the truth about the Second World War. It bothers them, who are used to basing their essentially colonial policy on hypocrisy and lies. They demolish memorials to real fighters against Nazism, put traitors and accomplices of the Nazis on pedestals, delete the memory of the courage and nobility of the soldiers of the liberators, and the great sacrifice they made in the name of life.” says Putin.

“Difficult transition period”

In addition to criticizing the West, it sounds different when Putin mentions China, praising “the courage of the Chinese people who fought for their independence against the aggression of militaristic Japan,” and adding “always remembering the common struggle and inspiring traditions ” and “Russian allies never to be forgotten.”

It was to be expected that Putin would seize the moment to draw the link between Nazi Germany and the current war in Ukraine. It has been part of Putin’s rhetoric since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine that Ukraine should be ‘denazified’. Putin does admit that the country is going through a “difficult transition period. The fate of the Motherland and its future depends on each of us,” the Russian president said.