Putin Marks Russia's 'Victory Day' With Speech as Ukraine Conflict Continues
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his Victory Day speech at the Kremlin and condemned the United States and other countries for supporting a "threat" on Russia's borders.
Putin also tied the current government of Ukraine to the Nazis, perhaps citing the Azov Battalion, which is a unit of Ukraine's National Guard that has a history of anti-semitic controversies. Russia's Victory Day has become a day to remember the sacrifices of World War II, when twenty-seven million Soviet citizens died, and to be a show of military strength. Putin's messaging on Victory Day aimed to encourage Russian nationalism to justify the war on Ukraine, particularly as Russians suffer from economic sanctions and international isolationism.
News sources across the spectrum highlighted the speech and Putin's criticisms of U.S. leaders.
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