Moscow rehearsals for the 'Victory Day' parade

2022-05-09T07:11:44.946Z

The eyes of the world on Red Square (ANSA) 09 May, 08:58 Foreground Moscow rehearsals for the 'Victory Day' parade The eyes of the world on Red Square Photo story © ANSA / EPA WATCH THE PHOTOSTORY Photo Close © ANSA / EPA Close © ANSA / EPA Close © ANSA / EPA Close © ANSA / EPA Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Close © ANSA / AFP Clo

09 May, 08:58

Foreground

Moscow rehearsals for the 'Victory Day' parade

The eyes of the world on Red Square

Photo story

© ANSA / EPA

WATCH THE PHOTOSTORY Photo

© ANSA / EPA

© ANSA / AFP

© ANSA

© ANSA / EPA

"Our military, just like their ancestors, are fighting together to rid their homeland of the Nazi scum. And as in 1945, we will win."

With this message, sent to the leaders of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, Vladimir Putin is preparing to celebrate the Victory Day against Nazism with the Russian people tomorrow on Red Square.

And the expectation is growing for the message that the Tsar will want to give to the world, during the parade of the jewels of his military arsenal on the streets of Moscow.

In the center of the capital, everything is ready to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the defeat of Hitler's Germany at the hands of the Red Army.

A show staged from 9 am on state television, one of the most followed events of the year by the Russians, obviously even more this year.

Thousands of soldiers and about 130 vehicles will parade on parade, including the most modern, such as a fifth generation fighter, long-range bombers and the largest transport helicopter in the world, the Mi-2.

For the first time, eight jets will fly over Red Square in a 'Z' shape, in honor of the military engaged in Ukraine.

And after 12 years, the huge Il-80 will reappear, known as the 'Flying Kremlin', intended to house the Russian command in the event of a nuclear war.

Alongside this power choreography, the highlight, of course, will be the speech to the nation - and the West - by the commander in chief.

On the eve of the ceremony, Putin expressed the same concepts with which he justified the launch of the so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24: that is, "liberate"

the country "from the grip of fascism", which constitutes a "threat to Russia and the Russian-speaking minority in the east".

And addressing the Donbass separatists, the Russian president added that "unfortunately today Nazism is raising its head once again and it is our duty to prevent its rebirth".

This rhetoric could herald Putin's announcement of a further escalation.

One of the hypotheses on which analysts and governments, including Kiev, are thinking is that the tsar is ready for a declaration of total war on Ukraine, with greater involvement of men, means and support from the allies.

A plausible scenario, insofar as not even the minimum objective of the military campaign, the complete conquest of the Donbass, has yet been achieved.

In the worst case, Putin could even return to evoke the specter of nuclear war, as a challenge to NATO.

On the other hand, there are those who believe that the Kremlin leader will have to deal with the important losses suffered so far in Ukraine, at least 20,000 soldiers killed (5,000 more than the losses in Afghanistan in 10 years), and with the plight of their families .

So he could just celebrate a small victory, claiming the territories he had taken from Kiev.

Starting with Mariupol, cradle of the Azov battalion, which for Putin is synonymous with Nazis.

In this way the Tsar would still give Victory Day a patriotic emphasis, projecting (at least for the Russians) a sense of invincibility and confidence in the power of Moscow.

And thus issue another warning to the US and its allies not to get in his way.

Putin could even return to evoke the specter of nuclear war, as a challenge to NATO.