Putin sounds like a loser in his ‘Victory Day’ speech

Victory Day, commemorating Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany, has once again become a source of great fanfare and attention in the countries of the former Soviet Bloc. This day, like in the past, has brought military parades and solemn memorials. And, as has often been the case in the past, it delivered a fiery presidential speech that conveyed immense strength and determination in the contemporary fight against Hitler’s successors.

The turning point this May 9 was the inspirational speech that came not from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who offered to re-read a faded, slogan-laden speech, but from the man who had more than two months leading the effort to deny Russia an expectation. victory in Ukraine, Volodomyr Zelenskyy.

Indeed, the President of Ukraine’s speech showed the emptiness in both Putin’s words and the pomp of the Red Square parade in which Russia has traditionally displayed displays of muscular strength. their own with the world.

Both presidents evoke Nazi Germany when describing their enemies in the current war. But when Putin said that his country was “fighting so that no one would forget the lessons of the Second World War, so that there would be no place in the world for executioners, punishments and Nazis” – these words bitter reminder that he did for the Russia that once showed that bravery in defeating Hitler’s army to become the brutal heir to Nazi Germany.

Zelenskyy made that exact point in a speech that showcased the speaking gifts the world has come to expect from the comedian and media entrepreneur turned president. Calling Putin a madman, he denounced his Russian counterpart and rival as “a repeat of the terrible crimes of today’s Hitler regime”.

In a carefully crafted video message, Zelenskyy’s point is indisputable: the Russian effort is doomed precisely because Putin has not only forgotten the lessons of World War II, but also because he defiled and abused the memory of its victims and heroes.

Zelenskyy’s video is very clear and has nothing to do with the flash and posture of the Russian “celebration”. But in that simplicity and clarity, it revealed the hypocrisy and betrayal of Russia’s military parades.

Russia can assemble rows of troops in freshly pressed uniforms and display military equipment. But it is clear that there are fewer troops and weapons today than there were just over two months ago. The amount of military hardware on display is much more limited, and Putin has made rare publicity about the fallen Russian soldiers since he escalated the eight-year offensive against Ukraine in February. .

Putin repeated his undisclosed accusations that the Ukrainians of the West are responsible for the current war. But the speech is perhaps more remarkable for what has not been said.

Some Western analysts expect Putin to use the opportunity to announce a major escalation of the conflict. But not only did that not happen, his backsliding against the old nationalist rhetoric suggests that this could be a leader running out of options.

Questions were also raised by the fact that a planned flight of Russian military aircraft did not take place due to “weather conditions”… on a perfectly lovely May day in Moscow. However, the Ukrainian government is ready to fill the void by release my own videomocking a Russian military parade that featured a lot of Russian military helicopters and military vehicles doing what the Russians have done so often in Ukraine, bringing stolen Ukrainian washing machines and other equipment. other household appliances back home.

The reality is that it’s very difficult to have a classic victory day celebration when you’re losing.

Who knows what kind of celebrations Putin might have envisioned this week when he first launched his invasion. Perhaps he had hoped the parade would feature trophies, weapons declared, perhaps a corresponding celebration before his generals in Kyiv were returned to their rightful place as a part of a greater Russia. But there is a precious little piece of good news for Putin to celebrate because of his huge failures and losses in Ukraine.

Putin didn’t help matters as he echoed the language of losers elsewhere on the planet (especially in the US) by talking about “cancellation of culture” and mocking references. to “traditional values”.

Meanwhile, back in Ukraine, evidence of a different kind of spirit was on display this week, not only through Zelenskyy’s addresses but also with visits from celebrities like U2’s Bono (proponent) performing in a subway station) and US First Lady Jill Biden.

That is not to say that the Russian military has not made any progress in Ukraine. It has made some gains in the East, and the damage to Ukraine itself has been terrible. That said, even the response to these losses shows evidence of the morale, resilience, and level of global support that give Ukraine a clear advantage this Victory Day. The rebuilding process is underway, and Western nations are pondering how to finance the broader rebuilding effort — an endeavor that will require hundreds of billions of dollars to complete. (CNN) – Expressing public anger towards Russia in Europe, the country’s ambassador to Poland was soaked in blood-red liquid at a memorial service there.

As the echoes of martial music fade in Red Square on Victory Day 2022, so too do the illusions Putin seeks to conjure in his speech about Russia’s glory and his misguided war. .