“I think things are moving toward an end, but still, this is
a serious matter...” the dictator said, referring to the war in Ukraine.
Putin claimed that Ukraine and the West had “expected
Russia’s crushing defeat, the collapse of its statehood within a few months,”
but, in his view, that “is not working out.”
The dictator also struck a flattering tone toward the United
States, saying it “sincerely wants” a settlement to the war, but that “this is
primarily a matter for Russia and Ukraine.”
The parade on Red Square in Moscow on May 9 lasted
only 45 minutes, making it the shortest in modern Russian history. For the
first time in many years, the parade featured no military equipment, with
footage of weapons in action shown instead. The event was accompanied by
internet shutdowns in central Moscow.
During the celebration, Putin delivered a speech in which he
claimed
“victories” in the war despite successful Ukrainian strikes deep inside
Russia and a slowdown in Russian advances on the front line. He also repeated
the narrative that Russia is fighting the entire NATO bloc, not only Ukraine.