Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday instructed his nation’s Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square that “a real war” has been unleashed in opposition to Russia by the West’s “untamed ambitions,” shortly after the Kremlin’s forces rained cruise missiles on Ukrainian targets.

“Today civilization is once again at a decisive turning point,” Putin mentioned at Moscow’s annual commemorations celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. “A real war has been unleashed against our Motherland.”

Since Russia invaded its neighbor greater than 14 months in the past, Putin has repeatedly framed the war in Ukraine as a proxy battle with the West. The Kremlin’s official narrative of the warfare has painted an image of an existential battle with the West, which in Moscow’s view is merely utilizing Ukraine as a software to destroy Russia, re-write its historical past and crush its conventional values. That model of occasions has dominated Russian state media protection of the warfare.

In his speech, Putin insisted that the West’s “untamed ambitions, arrogance and impunity” are guilty for the battle.

Putin welcomed troopers preventing in Ukraine who have been current on the parade. “To Russia! To our brave armed forces! To Victory!” Putin concluded the speech.

Russia unleashed a barrage of cruise missiles on Ukraine in a single day into Tuesday, hours earlier than the beginning of the Moscow parade, which this 12 months is happening amid tight safety measures.

The Kremlin’s forces launched 25 missiles in a single day in a wave of assaults throughout Ukraine, the Ukrainian air drive mentioned, including that air protection had efficiently destroyed 23 of them.

In a Telegram submit, the air drive mentioned eight Kalibr cruise missiles have been launched from carriers within the Black Sea towards the east and 17 from strategic plane.

The barrage got here as Moscow and different cities hosted army parades and different festivities marking Victory Day, Russia’s largest secular vacation that this 12 months has been considerably overshadowed by the warfare in Ukraine.

Russian media have counted 24 Russian cities that canceled May 9 army parades — the staple of celebrations throughout Russia — for the primary time in years. The Immortal Regiment processions, wherein crowds take to the streets holding portraits of relations who died or served in World War II — one other pillar of the vacation — have additionally been canceled in a number of cities.

Regional officers blamed unspecified “security concerns.” Some speculated, nevertheless, that the explanation behind canceling Immortal Regiment marches was the truth that Russians would possibly deliver portraits of relations who died in Ukraine to these processions, illustrating the dimensions of Russia’s losses within the drawn-out battle.

Moscow sought to venture a present of drive throughout its flagship parade on Red Square, with top-notch army gear rumbling via it and leaders of ex-Soviet nations standing beside President Vladimir Putin.

Initially, solely one in all them — Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov — was anticipated to attend, however on the final minute on Monday officers confirmed that leaders of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have been heading to Moscow as properly.

Still, the parade regarded extra modest than common: There have been no army plane flying over Red Square, and fewer items of army gear have been displayed. For the primary time in years, the parade resulted in underneath an hour.

The pared-down celebrations come after ambiguous official stories final week that two Ukrainian drones flew into the guts of Moscow underneath the duvet of darkness and reached the Kremlin earlier than being shot down. The Kremlin billed it as an try at Putin’s life; Ukraine denied involvement.

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Follow AP’s protection of the warfare in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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