Putin Turns Tables During Speech – This Just Got Worse
(DailyVantage.com) – When the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany in WWII, Germany signed an Instrument of Surrender on May 9, 1945. The Soviet bloc countries declared this a national holiday, and they still celebrate the anniversary as Victory Day. This year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy both gave speeches, but the messages were vastly different.
Putin Tries To Justify the War
Putin still refuses to acknowledge the war for what it is, insisting on calling it a “special operation,” but the pictures coming out of Ukraine tell the story. In his Victory Day speech, the Russian president tried to rally his nation’s soldiers by telling them they were “fighting for the same thing their fathers and grandfathers did,” namely, getting rid of Nazis. He defended his actions saying the West is arming Ukraine, which then plans to attack Crimea, the part of Ukraine Russia annexed in 2014. Putin also blamed his actions on NATO because the organization refused to provide assurances it wouldn’t admit Ukraine into its membership.
In short, Putin is painting Russia as a victim, forced to invade and take action to preserve its way of life, rather than as the aggressor. While he acknowledged the loss of troops, he didn’t admit how many. Putin also failed to acknowledge successes, despite rumors before the event indicating he sought to gain a stronghold in Mariupol by Victory Day.
Zelenskyy Addresses Ukraine
In stark contrast, Zelenskyy used his speech to taunt Putin in a recorded message showing the Ukrainian president walking through the war-torn streets of Kyiv, past anti-tank barricades. Russia, he said, thought Ukraine would “refuse to celebrate 9 May and the victory over Nazism,” saying the battle is between “two world views,” not “two armies.” Zelenskyy took another snipe at Putin, saying, “very soon, there will be two Victory Days in Ukraine. And some will not even have one left.” He left his fellow citizens with a positive message saying they would prevail, even though the road ahead might still be difficult.
More than two months after the invasion, the war rages on in Ukraine. While there have been losses on both sides, Ukraine is putting up a solid fight and surprised most of the world with unexpected tenacity and grit. Eastern Ukraine has seen the most recent battles, with a school in Bilohorivka receiving heavy fire over the weekend. Authorities believe more than 60 people using the school as a shelter died in the blast.
Given the nature of the two Victory Day speeches, it doesn’t look like the war will end any time soon.
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