Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to justify his war in Ukraine by blaming the West and comparing the fight to World War II; but despite warnings from Ukraine and its allies, he did not announce any escalation.
Putin presented the faltering military effort as a continuation of the Soviet Union’s historic victory over Nazi Germany; in a speech at Moscow’s Victory Day celebration. He accused the West of ignoring Russia’s security needs prior to the invasion; repeated Moscow’s allegation that it was acting to counter a growing threat from the NATO alliance near its borders, and predicting a clash with what he called Ukraine’s “neo-Nazis,” who were backed by the West.
“Russia responded to aggression with a preemptive strike,” he said. “It was a hasty, necessary, and only correct decision.”
Putin, on the other hand, acknowledged Russian casualties in Ukraine in a rare recognition to the magnitude of the sacrifice.
“Every soldier and officer’s death is a tragedy for all of us and an irreparable loss for their families,” he said, adding that the state would do all possible to assist their families, particularly their children.
