De-escalation, mass mobilisation or nuclear threats. These were some of the prevailing scenarios for Vladimir Putin's long-awaited statements ahead of the 9 May Victory Day celebrations. In the end, none of this came out of the Russian president's speech, as most expected.
[/P]- "The West was preparing for invasion."[URL=HTTPS:/CYPRUSTIMES.COM/KOSMOS/I-DYSI-ETOIMAZOTAN-GIA-EISVOLI-I-OMILIA-TOY-ROSOY-PROEDROY-STIN-STRATIOTIKI-PARELASI-TIS-MOSCHAS-VIDEO/] Putin's speech at the military parade (video)
In his speech, the Kremlin leader tried again to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying that NATO and Ukraine were creating threats "unacceptable to us" on Russia's borders.
Putin said troops and volunteers in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region were "fighting for the motherland, its future" and accused the West of preparing "an invasion of our land".
He called NATO an "obvious threat" to Russia and said its "special military operation" was a necessary and "correct decision."
He also referred to Russian military casualties, holding a moment of silence for fallen soldiers. The state will do "everything" to take care of families experiencing mourning because of the war in Ukraine, he said, adding: "The death of every soldier and officer is painful for us."
The speech concluded to the cheers of soldiers on Red Square, the firing of cannons and the Russian national anthem.
Why Putin's speech was "encouraging" for the future
[/P][BR][BR]The British network SkyNews, addressing experts, attempts to decipher Vladimir Putin's speech and the messages the Russian president wants to get across.
The Russian president's appearance at the "Victory Day" parade could be a sign of an end to this war, a leading British diplomat has said.
Speaking to the British network, the UK's former ambassador to Russia, Sir Tony Brenton, said Mr Putin had recently shown "worrying signs" that he was "losing it." However, he said his speech today was "coherent", calling it a "very professional performance."
While former ambassador said he did not agree with the message - which sought to justify Russia's invasion and bash NATO - he said he had "pushed all the right patriotic buttons in the Russian political atmosphere".
"It is rather encouraging that he leaves me with the feeling that we are dealing with a reasonable person, with whom I hope that in time it will be possible to make a reasonable agreement to end this whole mess," he said."
The SkyNews defence analyst agreed, saying the issue of Putin's rationality is very important. "The Cold War and the nuclear confrontation during the Cold War worked because both sides were rational. Both sides understood the devastating consequences of using nuclear weapons. That is why they did not," he noted."
"Predictable" comments about NATO
He called Vladimir Putin's suggestion in his speech that NATO is the aggressor "predictable.
According to Lord Dannatt, it was likely that the Russian leader "would try to frame it that way and try to convince his people that this is not a war of aggression".
Lord Dannatt added that Putin's message to the Russian people was that this was an "important and necessary defensive operation to show the people of Russia that he is a great leader and that he is going to stand up for his values".
Therefore, "it is to show that the Ukrainian dissidents, as (Putin) would like to present them in Donbass, were planning with NATO support - with Western support - to actually carry out an invasion to attack Russia," he added.
Lord Dannatt pointed out that "there was no mention of the failed operation around Kiev." There was also no mention of an intensification of the war or a general mobilisation of the Russian population.
Putin presented Russia as a victim
In the same vein, Katarzyna Zysk, a Russian strategic analyst, told BBC News that she was not surprised to hear Vladimir Putin link the current war in Ukraine to World War II, "glorifying the Soviet past and tapping into the Soviet nostalgia that is quite widespread in Russia."
She noted that the Russian president repeated false accusations against NATO that it was planning a nuclear attack and talked about fighting "invented Ukrainian Nazis."
The analyst noted that this is part of a plan to portray Russia as a fortress under siege and to suggest that every failure in Russia since the 1990s is the fault of the West. "It puts Russia in the role of victim. This is also to justify and give some meaning to this war."
However, she expressed surprise that Putin did not mention pro-Western traitors in Russia, sending a message to anyone who questions the war.
Source: in.gr
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