To try to back up the claim, Putin and his officials have pointed to the adulation by Ukraine’s right-wing groups of nationalist leaders Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, who sided with the Nazis during World War II and their perceived use of Nazi units’ symbols. In ordering the invasion, Putin declared that it was aimed at the “demilitarization” of Ukraine to remove a perceived military threat to Russia by “neo-Nazis” - rhetoric condemned by Ukraine and the West as a fictitious cover for a blunt act of aggression. This year, the array of weapons to be displayed in the parade has been significantly curtailed from last year in an apparent reflection of the military’s heavy engagement in Ukraine. The annual celebrations feature a massive military parade on Red Square showcasing the latest armaments from tanks to fighter jets to nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. Victory Day is a rare event in the nation’s divisive post-Soviet history that is revered by all political players, and the Kremlin has used that sentiment to encourage patriotic pride and underline Russia’s role as a global power. The conflict, which devastated cities and the countryside, caused enormous suffering and left a deep scar in the national psyche. The Soviet Union lost a staggering 27 million people in World War II, which it calls the Great Patriotic War. Strategists have warned that the conflict in Ukraine could become a war of attrition, with massive losses on both sides and no clear "victor.Aviation faces hurdles to hit goals for cutting emissionsĪ look at the significance of Victory Day in Russia: Whether the capture of Mariupol and control of the Donbas region would satisfy Russia, and whether Ukraine is prepared to concede any of its territory (it says it is not), points to an open-ended conflict that could drag on for years. "The renewed effort by Russia to secure Azovstal and complete the capture of Mariupol is likely linked to the upcoming 9 May Victory Day commemorations and Putin's desire to have a symbolic success in Ukraine," the ministry tweeted. Ministry of Defence on Friday noted that Russian forces have continued their assault on the Azovstal steel plant in the city for a second day, despite Russian statements claiming they would only seek to seal it off. The battered coastal city of Mariupol - home to some of the most intense fighting over recent weeks - appears to is a key part of this plan, as its capture would help Russia secure the link between Crimea and the Donbas. This would give it access to ports crucial to its economy, and to its military fleet there on the Black Sea. It's widely believed that Russia is focusing its attacks on the Donbas region in order to fully claim the territory and to enable it to create a land bridge from Russia to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, on the southern Ukrainian coast. In March, Putin signed a decree ordering 134,500 new conscripts into the army, raising eyebrows that they could destined to fight in Ukraine Putin insisted they would not. The mass mobilization of Russia's population for wartime operations would be a big step for Putin, however, potentially putting him at risk of popular dissent, particularly if thousands of new, young Russian conscripts are sent to fight in the war despite having little training. Given the unpredictable nature of Putin's leadership, Alberque said that "ultimately we have to prepare for the worst." "Or, the alternative is that he declares actual war and a total war mobilization." "One is he just declares victory with what he has and he says: 'Look, I expanded the DPR and LPR ,' and says: 'I connected them to Crimea and the land bridge, and we secured the water supplies for Crimea and now I can declare that it's part of Russia'," Alberque said. Looking ahead to Victory Day, William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said there are "two real big options" for Putin. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
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