The UK claimed that Vladimir Putin and his “utterly complicit” generals are “hijacking” the memory of Russian troops that had defeated the Nazis in WWII.
A military parade has been held in Moscow today to mark the 77th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany. Putin is accused of using the event to cast his invasion of Ukraine in a positive light.
During the parade, Putin claimed that his attack on Russia’s neighbour was necessary to ward off “an absolutely unacceptable threat just next to our borders”.
He reportedly added that the West has been “preparing for the invasion of our land, including Crimea”.
UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said that the Kremlin and military officials are “inflicting needless suffering in the service of lowly gangsterism”.
Putin was spouting “fairytale claims” when falsely alleging that Nato is preparing for an invasion of Russian territory, Mr Wallace said, adding that the West has not planned to attack Russia.
His words follow reports that the Russian bombing of a school in the eastern Ukrainian village of Bilohorivka killed 60 people.
