Despite the risk of an assassination attempt, Putin wants to appear on Red Square

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War President Vladimir Putin (70) appears in person today, Tuesday, where two drones were shot down over the Kremlin a few days ago. On May 3, explosions lit up the night sky over the dome of the Senate Palace. Moscow blamed Kiev for the alleged attempted assassination of Putin. Ukraine speaks of a Russian production.

Separated only by the Kremlin wall, the Senate Palace sits just beyond Lenin’s mausoleum on Red Square – where the grandstand stands for Putin and the wartime Kremlin leader inspects the annual May 9 victory parade. Russia celebrates the 78th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

Only there is currently little evidence of Triumph in the country. Putin fights for control, including over his own people. “The nervousness is greater than ever,” quoted the British “Guardian” from the office of the mayor of Moscow. May 9 would be the ideal day to announce victory over Ukraine. Instead, Putin is creating a parallel world and postponing a face-saving way out of Ukraine’s misery.

Putin speaks

The May 9 celebration is taking place under even tighter security than last year, overshadowed by the offensive war against Ukraine, which has not brought Moscow any success reports from the front. Moreover, Ukraine has just confirmed that it is killing Russians all over the world. But a war leader shows no sign of weakness, fear or paranoia. Flanked by the heads of state of the Soviet Union’s allied CIS successors, the Russian head of state will inspect the parade and give a speech.

“The parade itself will start at 10 a.m. (9 a.m. CEST),” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, 55, told the Rossiya-1 television channel on Monday. “The president will make a speech.” This is followed by the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by an informal breakfast for CIS leaders.

Putin is expected to comment on the nearly 15-month-long attacks on Ukraine. He wants to show the country that he is still strong and that he has everything under control. The propaganda says that Russia is beating fascism like in World War II.

Fear at the heart of the Russian power apparatus

Putin also wants to show strength with the presence of these foreign guests. Their visit was not confirmed until short notice. In addition to the heads of state and government of the ex-Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia, the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko (68) also takes part in the military parade to mark the victory over Hitler-Germany. Lukashenko, who is highly dependent on Moscow politically, economically and militarily, thus presents himself as an extra loyal vassal of Putin.

But Putin cannot ignore the war in Ukraine. This year, the traditional march of the «Immortal Regiment» in Moscow, which usually follows the parade, was canceled. May 9 celebrations have also been canceled in several dozen other Russian cities due to the high security risk.

Red Square has also been closed to the public for two weeks and streets are barricaded. Recent drone strikes and acts of sabotage on Russian soil have sparked panic, even at the heart of Russia’s power apparatus. The Kremlin is as hermetically sealed as possible from the outside world. Victory Day must happen. Anything else would be capitulation.

Source: Blick