At the official level, Russia’s Victory Day looks to have been a souped-up affair with symbols of the war on Ukraine.
Many feared big announcements on 9 May, including mass or partial mobilisation. But the Kremlin, it seems, decided to focus on justifying the invasion of Ukraine, though rumours of mobilisation continue.
Vladimir Putin’s speech in Moscow concentrated on how NATO had allegedly built up a military presence in Ukraine – and that the Ukrainian government had declared an interest in acquiring nuclear weapons. “An absolutely unacceptable threat was growing, and directly on our borders,” he claimed. Since 24 February, 3,381 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, according to the UN. The real figures are likely to be much higher.
