The parade marking the anniversary of the Victory in World War II will be marked by its own war of aggression against Ukraine.
(Photo: Reuters)
Kyiv, Moscow This Tuesday, Russia celebrates the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Most European countries traditionally celebrate the end of World War II a day earlier on May 8 due to the time difference. As in the previous year, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine overshadowed the celebrations.
There is also a fight over the sovereignty of interpreting the victory over National Socialist Germany: the Kremlin justifies its war against Ukraine not only as a supposed defense against a Western threat but also as a fight against an allegedly Nazi regime in Kiev – without evidence of such an attitude of the democratically elected government of the to submit to Ukraine.
Rather, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees Ukraine’s defense against the Russian onslaught as a continuation of the defense against Nazi Germany’s World War II incursion. Zelenskiy said Monday night in his daily video address: “Today, May 8, when the world remembers the words ‘Never again!’ We in Ukraine give these words meaning.”
It’s not just about remembering, but also about protecting your values and defeating aggressors. “Ukrainians’ successes in defending against Russian aggression are clearly an antidote to other aggressions,” Zelensky said. The world can see how a free people protect themselves from conquerors. “If we can do it, others can too.”
In view of the forthcoming victory parade in Moscow, Zelensky’s speech is likely to be aimed at Russian propaganda. This claims for the Kremlin the monopoly on the victory against Hitler’s Germany in the Second World War and glorifies its own war of aggression against the Ukraine as a continuation of the Soviet defensive struggle.
The Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Carsten Breuer, gives priority to continued military support to Ukraine in defense against the Russian attackers. “The fight to the death justifies restrictions in training and material availability with us. Supporting the brave Ukrainian armed forces in the fight against the Russian aggressor is our top priority,” the highest-ranking German soldier told the German Press Agency after a visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev. The general reiterated: “Ukraine is fighting for all of us.”
Breuer was in Ukraine last week and met with army chief Valeriy Zalushni and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. According to the statement, Resnikov thanked the Germans for the weapons they had received so far, including modern anti-aircraft systems, self-propelled howitzers and the Leopard 2 main battle tank.
Russian occupation chief: Rain delays start of Kiev offensive
According to the Russian occupation authorities in southern Ukraine, rainfall is delaying the start of Kiev’s expected offensive. “Unstable wet weather has set in again. The ground has to be ten to twelve centimeters dry so that the technology can roll over it,” said the head of administration of the Moscow-controlled part of Zaporizhia, Yevgeny Balitsky, on Russian television on Monday. Nevertheless, the counter-offensive could “start at any moment”.
On Friday, the Russian administration began evacuating towns near the front in the Zaporizhia region. The city of Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is located, is also affected. Balizki spoke of a temporary resettlement of residents for the safety of the population.
Russian missile destroys Ukrainian Red Cross warehouse
Russia is using missile and drone strikes to disrupt Ukrainian preparations for a counterattack. Again and again, the Russian military hit civilian targets. In the southern Ukrainian port of Odessa, a warehouse belonging to the Ukrainian Red Cross was destroyed by a Russian missile attack.
A Russian drone attack on Monday also damaged residential buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
(Photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire)
“The fire destroyed all humanitarian supplies that were in the camp,” the organization said on Monday. According to prosecutors, one person was killed and three injured in the rocket attack on the warehouse of a food company.
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Russia for an unannounced visit a day before the planned major military parade in Moscow. A video released by the Belarusian state news agency Belta showed the 68-year-old being received at Moscow Airport by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.
That will be important on Tuesday
While in Germany and elsewhere in Europe the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945 was already being commemorated on Monday, Russia traditionally celebrates its Victory Day this Tuesday with a large military parade. In addition to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko, several other heads of state from the former Soviet republics also want to attend this year’s parade in Moscow.
Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kiev to celebrate Europe Day. According to a spokesman, the top German politician wants to meet Ukrainian President Zelensky, among others, and reaffirm the EU’s full support for Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia.
More: Current news on the development of the Ukraine war can be found in our news blog