Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at Moscow\u2019s Red Square Victory Day parade that the world was at a \u201cturning point\u201d and claimed a \u201cwar\u201d had been unleashed against Russia.
\nHe vowed victory and said Russia\u2019s future \u201crests on\u201d its soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
\nThe traditional Soviet-style event celebrating Moscow\u2019s victory over the Nazis took place amid security fears, 15 months into Russia\u2019s Ukraine offensive.
\n\u201cToday civilisation is again at a decisive turning point,\u201d Putin said at the parade, which included elderly veterans and soldiers from Russia\u2019s Ukraine campaign.
\n\u201cA war has been unleashed against our motherland,\u201d he claimed. He called for Russia to be victorious: \u201cFor Russia, for our armed forces, for victory! Hurrah!\u201d
\nThe Russian leader has increasingly portrayed the campaign in Ukraine as an existential conflict, which he says the West has escalated by supporting the Ukrainian government.
\nPutin told soldiers taking part in Moscow\u2019s Ukraine campaign, several hundreds of whom were present at the Red Square parade, that \u201cthe whole country is with you.\u201d \u201cThere is nothing more important now than your combat effort,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThe security of the country rests on you today, the future of our statehood and our people depend on you.\u201d Putin also railed against \u201cWestern globalist elites\u201d, accusing them of sowing conflicts and \u201ccoups\u201d around the world.
\n\u201cTheir goal, and there is nothing new here, is to achieve the collapse and destruction of our country,\u201d he said.
\nThe longtime Russian leader vowed that Moscow would overcome this. \u201cBut we have rebuffed international terrorism, we will protect the people of (eastern Ukraine\u2019s) Donbas, we will ensure our security,\u201d he said.
\nThis appeared to be a reference to an unprecedented series of attacks on Russian soil in the run-up to the Victory Day parade, a central event under Putin\u2019s rule.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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