Putin plans grand Victory Day to counter isolation claims
Vladimir Putin has begun preparations for the 80th-anniversary celebrations of Victory Day, which will take place on May 9, 2025. The Kremlin plans to demonstrate that Russia is not isolated. Sources close to the presidential administration have revealed some details.
Vladimir Putin has organized a meeting with the committee responsible for celebrating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. He emphasized that formalism is unacceptable and that memory involves concrete actions. Parades will be held in Moscow and other cities, and participants in the war in Ukraine will be honored.
Defense Minister Andrei Belousov announced that veterans of the war in Ukraine would participate in the parades. The authorities plan to give them special honors, and their names will be assigned to newer military units.
"A new world war II"
The Kremlin compares the conflict with Ukraine to a "special military operation," which it refers to as World War II. One regional official claims that "the special military operation is a new World War II; that is how Putin and his entourage see it."
He argues that the authorities find it unnecessary to draw comparisons between the two wars during anniversary events to motivate Russians to join the front lines. According to him, the Kremlin views this as part of a historical continuity, with each generation continuing the fight against fascism.
The Kremlin has not yet issued clear instructions regarding the celebrations but recommends traditional events such as the Immortal Regiment and exhibitions. Regional authorities are expected to come up with ideas to commemorate the anniversary. The Kremlin plans to invite foreign guests to demonstrate that Russia is not isolated. There is consideration of inviting "someone significant" from the USA.
