MOSCOW, May 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - President Vladimir Putin vowed on Friday 
Russia would win in Ukraine as the Soviet Union had in World War II, aiming 
to rally Russian support at the Moscow military parade put on before key 
allies.

Putin sat with China's Xi Jinping watching a processions of thousands of 
troops -- some of whom fought in Ukraine -- and an array of weapons like new 
tanks and drones to mark the defeat of the Nazis.

Since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, Putin has evoked the Soviet 
war effort for his own military campaign that has killed many thousands and 
left Moscow occupying a fifth of its neighbour.

"The whole country, society and people support the participants of the 
special military operation," Putin said, addressing the parade.

"We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has 
always brought us only victory," he added.

The ex-KGB spy, who has led the country for 25 years, also said: "Russia has 
been and will remain an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia 
and anti-Semitism."

Moscow claims it launched its offensive on Ukraine to "de-Nazify" the country 
-- narratives rejected by Kyiv, the West and independent experts.

At home, Russia has banned criticism of its offensive and hundreds of 
thousands of Russians have fled their country since.

- Snipers, North Koreans, drones -

Security was tight ahead of the parade, with Moscow fearing it could be 
targeted by Ukraine.

Snipers were positioned on a luxury shopping mall that runs alongside Red 
Square and mobile internet was jammed.

"Russia! Russia!" the crowds chanted as Putin walked in front of the stands, 
escorted by several bodyguards.

Around 1,500 troops that had fought in Ukraine were among 11,000 marching on 
Red Square, state media reported.

The parade also featured a swathe of military hardware, including attack 
drones for the first time and more tanks than in previous years.

After the procession, Putin greeted heavily decorated North Korean commanders 
who had led Pyongyang's forces that helped Russia recapture its western Kursk 
region from Ukraine.

"All the best to you and all your troops," Putin said.

Chinese troops took part in the parade, with Putin and Xi holding talks a day 
earlier.

Putin has long said that the Soviet Union and primarily Russia were the main 
victors in WWII and called his nation Friday the "heirs of victors".

Olga Zhuravleva, whose father and grandfather fought in WWII, decried US 
leader Donald Trump for saying the war was "mostly accomplished because of 
us."

"Complete nonsense," she said, adding that she feels "great" pride for her 
country.

The Soviet Union lost more than 20 million civilians in WWII -- including 
Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Central Asians and other peoples.

Under 25 years of Putin's rule, the Kremlin has promoted a patriotic vision 
of WWII -- praising military feats, while glossing over the Soviet-Nazi Pact 
and the 1939 invasion of Poland.

- Tribunal -

Putin ordered his army to halt its attacks against Ukraine for three days to 
mark the occasion, but Kyiv has accused Russia of violating the truce 
hundreds of times.

In the days ahead of the parade, Ukraine fired dozens of drones at Moscow, 
forcing airports to shut and disrupting hundreds of flights.

But there were no reports of attempted attacks on the capital Friday.

In Russia's western Belgorod region, authorities said a Ukrainian drone hit 
the regional government building, wounding two people.

Kyiv argues Russia's May 9 celebrations have "nothing to do with the victory 
over Nazism" and that those marching on Red Square were "quite likely" 
implicit in crimes against Ukrainians.

As Putin saluted his troops on Red Square, EU foreign ministers were in 
Ukraine's Lviv in a show of support, where they approved the creation of a 
tribunal for Moscow to face punishment.

"There will be no impunity, there will be accountability for the crimes 
committed," EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Thursday in Warsaw before 
travelling to Kyiv.

"Putin may think he is a victor at the parade tribune, but in fact he is a 
criminal whose place is at the tribunal for the crime of aggression" 
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said leaders from the "coalition of 
the willing" -- European states that are looking at sending troops to Ukraine 
to enforce a possible ceasefire -- would gather in Ukraine on Saturday.