Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday, 8 May, that “as in 1945, victory will be ours” while he sent congratulations to former Soviet nations marking the 77th anniversary of the Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
Putin, who launched a 'military operation' in Ukraine in February 2022, said that even today, their soldiers are fighting to free their native land from “Nazi filth” and said that it is their duty to prevent the Nazi from “rearing its head” once more, reported AFP.
“Today, our soldiers, as their ancestors, are fighting side by side to liberate their native land from the Nazi filth with the confidence that, as in 1945, victory will be ours.”Putin
'Nazim Rearing Its Head': Putin
The Russian president said that Ukraine is in the grip of fascism and a threat to Russia and Russian minorities in the eastern areas of Ukraine. He said, “Sadly, today, Nazism is rearing its head once more.”
He urged the younger generation to preserve the memories of their ancestors who fought in the war and civilians who smashed Nazism and made countless sacrifices for their country.
Putin also wished Ukrainians a “peaceful and just future”.
Moscow who dubbed World War II as ‘The Great Patriotic War’ will officially commemorate victory over Nazi Germany with a giant military parade on Monday.
'Evil Has Returned to Europe': Zelenskyy
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday, compared Russia's invasion of his country to Nazi Germany during an address commemorating World War II, saying "evil has returned" to Europe.
"Decades after World War II, darkness has returned to Ukraine, and it has become black and white again," Zelenskyy said in a video address while standing in front of destroyed residential buildings.
"Evil has returned, in a different uniform, under different slogans, but for the same purpose," he added.
The video also showed archive footage of World War II and black and white footage of Russia's invasion.
He accused Russia of implementing a "bloody reconstruction of Nazism" in Ukraine using "its ideas, actions, words and symbols."
Zelenskyy said that the Russian army was replicating Nazi "atrocities" and giving justification that "aims to give this evil a sacred purpose."
(With inputs from AFP.)
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