New developments:
- United States to provide $1.2 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, including air defenses and ammunition
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv on Tuesday.
- Moscow's famed Red Square parade Tuesday on Russia's Victory Day took place amid ramped-up security due to Russian fears of Ukrainian attacks
Russia paraded troops and weaponry across Red Square in Moscow on Tuesday in commemoration of its victory over Nazism in World War II, but it was a celebration that was sharply curtailed from years past because of battlefield setbacks in its 14-month invasion of Ukraine.
In a fiery 10-minute speech in front of the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin railed against "Western global elites," Russia’s allies in the world war 80 years ago, and said civilization was at "a decisive turning point."
"A real war has been unleashed against our homeland," the Russian leader said.
The Red Square parade had its traditional pomp but it was unmistakably scaled back from previous May 9 celebrations of the Allied victory in Europe. In place of phalanxes of modern battle tanks, a single World War Two-vintage T-34 rolled across the square. The usual fighter jet flyover was canceled.
On the battlefront in Ukraine, Ukrainian authorities said their air defenses had shot down 23 of 25 Russian cruise missiles fired chiefly at the capital, Kyiv, overnight, and there were no reported casualties.
Russian military difficulties were also underscored by a new profanity-laced tirade aimed at Russian defense leaders from the chief of the Wagner mercenary group fighting alongside Moscow’s troops, claiming his fighters were not being supplied with enough ammunition.
"A combat order came yesterday which clearly stated that if we leave our positions [in Bakhmut], it will be regarded as treason against the motherland," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message. "[But] if there is no ammunition, then we will leave our positions and be the ones asking who is really betraying the motherland."
Ukraine has embraced the West in its fight against Russia, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visiting Kyiv, where she called Ukraine "the beating heart of today's European values."
The United States said it was providing Ukraine with another $1.2 billion security package. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Twitter, said the new aid was a "sign of solidarity with Ukraine shown on a symbolic day for us -- Europe Day and the Day of Victory over Nazism in WWII. Together we're moving towards a new victory!"
Von der Leyen welcomed Zelenskyy’s move to make May 9 Europe Day in Ukraine to note Europe’s support in Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion.
"Today, I signed the relevant decree, and every year from tomorrow, May 9, we will commemorate our historic unity — the unity of all Europeans who destroyed Nazism and will defeat ruscism," Zelenskyy said Monday.
The term "ruscism" was coined by Ukrainians to describe the Russian state under Putin’s current rule — roughly, Russian fascism.
Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
