West Fueling Global Conflicts, Trying To Topple Moscow, Putin Says On WW2 Victory Day

As fully expected, Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a defiant tone in his speech at Moscow’s Red Square for the annual events commemorating Russia's WW2 victory. Addressing thousands of soldiers in ceremonial attire, Putin accused the "arrogant" West of stoking conflict around the world. 

"We know what the exorbitance of such ambitions leads to. Russia will do everything to prevent a global clash," he said. "But at the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us. Our strategic forces are always in a state of combat readiness," he stressed in reference to the country's nuclear forces.

The 71-year-old leader hailed that "Victory Day unites all generations," and vowed: "We are going forward relying on our centuries-old traditions and feel confident that together we will ensure a free and secure future of Russia."

He called Victory Day “very emotional and poignant" as "Every family is honoring its heroes, looking at pictures with dear faces and remembering their relatives and how they fought."

He contrasted the "heroes" - Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, with the West - which is "fueling regional conflicts, inter-ethnic and inter-religious strife and trying to contain sovereign and independent centers of global development."

Present for the ceremony was nearly 10,000 Russian troops, including 1,000 who have fought inside Ukraine. According to AP correspondents, Putin underscored his 'nuclear deterrent' messaging by having nuke-capable missiles present: 

Nuclear-capable Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles were pulled across Red Square, underscoring his message.

The Soviet Union lost about 27 million people in World War II, an estimate that many historians consider conservative, scarring virtually every family.

One theme which emerged from Putin's speech is that the West has ignored and forgotten the immense sacrifice that Russians made in defeating the Nazis in WW2.

Putin's family too was personally impacted by the war and defense of the homeland:

As Putin tells it, his father, also named Vladimir, came home from a military hospital during the war to see workers trying to take away his wife, Maria, who had been declared dead of starvation. But the elder Putin did not believe she had died — saying she had only lost consciousness, weak with hunger. Their first child, Viktor, died during the siege when he was 3, one of more than 1 million Leningrad residents who died in the 872-day blockade, most of them from starvation.

For several years, Putin carried a photo of his father in Victory Day marches — as did others honoring relatives who were war veterans — in what was called the “Immortal Regiment.”

Putin in the speech emphasized, "Today we see how the truth about the Second World War is being distorted. It hinders those who are used to building their essentially colonial policy on hypocrisy and lies."

He also addressed the Ukraine conflict specifically, pointing out that the entire West is working tirelessly to defeat Moscow.

"We know, and you know this better than anyone else, the enemy has enough modern tools, since the entire Western community is working for our enemy, dreaming about Russia ceasing to exist in its current form," Putin described.

Putin concluded his speech with the words, "Glory to the valiant armed forces! For Russia! For victory! Hurray!"

He called what's going on a "system of confrontation" by the collective West, which views Russia as "weak". "I am sure they are now convinced that this was far from the reality, and rather the opposite is true," he emphasized.