Conflict. May 9 Parade: "All" of Russia Supports the Offensive in Ukraine, Says Putin

President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised the "courage" of Russian soldiers engaged in Ukraine, in front of thousands of soldiers gathered in Red Square and around twenty foreign leaders, who traveled to Moscow to attend the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

Vladimir Putin has once again drawn historical parallels between World War II and the large-scale assault on Ukraine he ordered in February 2022, on the occasion of May 9, the most important holiday in the Russian patriotic calendar.

"The entire country, society, and people support the participants in the special military operation" in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin said, using the usual euphemism for the conflict.

"We are proud of their courage and determination, of their strength of mind which has always brought us victory," he added, while assuring that Russia "has been and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia, anti-Semitism."

In the stands on Red Square stood veterans and leaders of about 20 nations , including many of Russia's allies or partners such as China, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Vietnam, Armenia, Cuba and Venezuela.

Despite the Western isolation policy, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico - defying European Union orders - and Serbian head of state Aleksandar Vucic were also present, as was Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, who is wanted by Bosnian justice.

Some 11,000 soldiers marched in front of them, including 1,500 who had fought in Ukraine, according to the state news agency TASS. Soldiers from 13 countries also took part in the parade, including those from China, Vietnam, Burma, and Egypt.

In the streets of Moscow, decorated with numerous flags and posters for the occasion, Vladimir, 40, came to watch the parade with friends and his pregnant wife, to "see the military equipment." "I wanted to see this power in person. This celebration makes me proud of my country," he explains.

Tatiana Rybakova, also 40, says she is also "proud" of her country, but hopes for "peace." "We are waiting for it, we are waiting for people to be happy and healthy. That's the most important thing," she says. Natalia Tarassova, 45, came specially from Donetsk, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine that has been under the control of pro-Russian separatists since 2014. She hopes the conflict "will soon be over and there will be parades in every city."