Putin warns of new world war on Victory Day

At the commemoration of the end of the Second World War, Vladimir Putin warned of a new global conflict. “We will not let anyone threaten us,” the Russian president said.

As is the annual custom, thousands of Russian soldiers marched across Red Square in the heart of Moscow on Thursday. The parade was part of Victory Day festivities, when Russia commemorates its victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. The military took the opportunity to display its latest weaponry, such as launch sites for intercontinental nuclear missiles and advanced air defense systems.

In a combative speech, President Vladimir Putin warned the West that the threats against Russia could turn out badly. ‘We won’t let anyone threaten us. Our strategic forces are always ready to spring into action.’ In doing so, Putin revived the nuclear saber-rattling. At the beginning of this week, he ordered the army leadership to hold extensive maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons.

Putin, who began his fifth term in office on Tuesday, responded to increasing pressure from Ukraine’s Western allies. French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out sending ground troops to the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow responded that French soldiers would then ‘inevitably become a target’. It also warned the United Kingdom of retaliation if the Ukrainians use British missiles to attack Russian territory.

The West is doing everything it can to turn the tide on the Ukrainian battlefield. Russia has been forcing there in recent months and has made important territorial gains in the east. Due to a lack of sufficient ammunition and weapons, the Ukrainian army must brace itself against Russian superior power. Due to a shortage of missiles, the Ukrainian air defense is full of holes and the Russians are increasingly succeeding in destroying crucial infrastructure.

The United States assisted Ukraine last month with a $61 billion aid package. After months of bickering, Democrats and Republicans reached a compromise. The American billions should enable the Ukrainian army to halt the advance of the Russians. And if President Joe Biden wins a second term in November, he hopes to free up additional money for a counter-offensive in 2025.

Putin reiterated on Thursday that growing Western involvement in Ukraine threatens to turn into a bigger conflict. According to him, the ‘arrogant’ elites in the West are constantly stoking the fires in the world. “We know what the excess of such ambitions leads to,” Putin said. “Russia will do everything it can to avoid a global clash.” He also accused the West of forgetting how decisive the Soviet Union was in defeating Nazi Germany.

The Russian president made a clear connection between the Great Patriotic War, as the Russians call World War II, and his “special military operation” in Ukraine over the past two years. According to him, this war is aimed against the ‘Nazi regime’ in Kiev and the Western imperialists who want to keep Russia under control. Ukraine and its allies bounce back and accuse Russia of old-fashioned imperialism.