Putin defends Ukraine invasion, saying ‘he is defending the motherland’

Speaking at the victory parade in Moscow on May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the special operation in Ukraine was needed to defend the motherland from the West, who were preparing for an “invasion of our land”.

The annual parade on Moscow’s Red Square, covered by the BBC and one of 28 across the country, saw Putin claim that the troops and volunteers were “fighting for the motherland, its future.” He accused the West of preparing for an “invasion of our land”.

Putin went on to describe NATO as “an obvious threat” in a speech that was designed to quell dissent in the country and to justify the invasion. He added that the special operation was necessary and that despite what people might think, it was in his words “the right decision,”

Speaking directly to the families affected by the fighting, he said Russia would do everything to take care of families suffering bereavement, adding: “The death of every soldier and officer is painful for us,” he said.

In Russia, Putin’s speech was covered slightly differently. Lenta reports that Putin said the threat that came from outside was “absolutely unacceptable.” Putin explained that “there was preparation for another punitive operation” and an invasion of Russia and Donbass. In addition, the NATO bloc “began active military development” of territories near the country.

Putin also claimed that the country was able to give a pre-emptive rebuff to aggression and danger, which “grew every day.” “It was a forced, timely and only correct decision – the decision of a sovereign, strong, independent country.”

In conclusion, he added that the Russian military and Donbass militia “fight on their own land, where their ancestors defeated the enemy.”

For many across the country watching on their TV screens, the service was interrupted by hackers.

This morning the online Russian TV schedule page was hacked

The name of every programme was changed to "On your hands is the blood of thousands of Ukrainians and their hundreds of murdered children. TV and the authorities are lying. No to war" pic.twitter.com/P2uCNz8cqa

— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 9, 2022

The annual victory parade, which is used by politicians to show off the country’s military might and to glorify the motherland, celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

He finished his speech defending the motherland, to cheers from the troops parading in Red Square. Their cheers were accompanied by the national anthem and cannon fire.

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