Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the West in his Victory Day speech at the Kremlin, claiming that the U.S. and other countries are to be blamed for his country’s invasion of Ukraine .
He made the statement while addressing Russia’s military on Monday morning, May 9 as they celebrated Victory day.
Victory Day is held every May 9 to celebrate 77 years after the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Putin said the West had propped up a “threat” on Russia’s borders and had even supported threats of nuclear war against his country.
“Russia has always stood up for an international system of equality,” Putin said, according to a translation from the German outlet Deutsche-Welle.
“We have always tried to find compromise solutions… Other countries had completely different plans.”
“They have tried to attack our historical territories like the Crimea. They have threatened to use nuclear war, and the West has supported these military actions carried out in our neighborhood and that is why it was a threat we couldn’t accept,” the Russian president added.
Putin then claimed there was a “threat to our border.”
“We have seen the military infrastructure developed,” Putin claimed, mentioning “more and more international military advisors coming into the country. The country was provided with modern weapons. There was a threat that was growing day by day.”
“The United States of America, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union,… has humiliated not only the whole world, but also their satellite states.”
“They have tried to denigrate the memory of the Second World War,” he charged.
Putin also claimed that “the enemies of our country have tried to use international terrorism against us,” likely referring to the increased sanctions against Russia and the seizure of Russian oligarchs’ assets abroad.
Putin said those living today are “the successor generation” to the generation that fought World War II. “Those who won a victory over fascism in the Second World War are a symbol for us,” he said.
“Today in the Donbas, the militia and our forces stand up in order to defend our territory,” Putin said. “We have many people we should remember, and they are now supporting us in the Donbas. You are fighting for your homeland, for the future of our homeland.”
“We are dealing with Nazis,” he said when mentioning Ukraine. “We are going to punish the Nazis,” he vowed while cheering on Russian troops in the Donbas.
“We also would like to respect those who fought with us in 2014,” Putin added, hailing “the peaceful people in the Donbas who were killed by the Nazis.”
