International Desk, Mar 18 (EFE).– President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised the unity of the Russian people in the face of what he calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, which has led to thousands of military and civilian deaths and has caused more than three million refugees to flee, has been widely condemned by the international community.
Putin, who praised the heroism of Russian soldiers fighting in the war, which he said was being waged to prevent a “genocide” in Ukraine, was addressing a massive patriotic rally at the Luzhniki Olympic Stadium in Moscow, which hosted more than 200,000 people, according to local authorities.
“Saving people from this suffering, from this genocide, is the main and most important reason (…) for the military operation that we launched in the Donbas and in Ukraine,” he proclaimed.
Putin, who quoted the Bible to justify the Ukraine invasion, said the best expression of the unity of the Russian people is how their soldiers are fighting “shoulder to shoulder” in the neighboring country.
“We see how heroically our guys act and fight during this operation. It has been a long time since we enjoyed such unity,” he said.
Ukraine claims that Russia has suffered over 14,200 casualties since the invasion began on February 24.
“For a world without Nazism!”, “For the president!” and “For Russia!” were the slogans displayed onstage at the event which featured concerts by popular singers with close ties to the Kremlin.
Tens of thousands of people who could not access the stadium followed the concerts in the vicinity of the Luzhniki, which seats more than 80,000 spectators.
“Thanks to the guys who with weapons in their hands defend Russian citizens in the Donbas,” said Sergey Sobyanin, mayor of Moscow.
Sobyanin, one of the Kremlin’s closest aides, has rallied support for Putin, who launched the invasion.
“Half the world has united against us, but Russia is a strong country. Strong because of its citizens, because of its patriots,” he said.
Some of the presenters, singers and attendees wore the Z-shaped St. George’s ribbon, which has become a symbol of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Russians usually wear the ribbon on May 9, which marks the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The event coincided with the eighth anniversary of the annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. EFE
© 2022 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.
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I know he has personal enemies—where are they?
Most likely all in gulags by now.
He has taken his cue out of Mein Kampf who will assuredly drag his nation down to the path of destruction.
The Jews were victims of Nazi Genocide, which in the Ukraine partnered with Jew hating Ukrainians (Babi Yar, etc.).
The same was true throughout much of Europe, especially where there was virulent anti-Semitism in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, etc. Wherever, a Church preached anti-Semitism, was fertile ground for genocide. Today, it is not necessarily true in the Ukraine, so Putin’s premise, may not hold water and is being used as an excuse for murder. Both Russia and the Ukraine have abysmal histories of anti-Semitism, for which neither of them have done repentence, as it was perpetuated by the respective Churches taking advantage of the gross ignorance of the populace, whose hatred of Jews was ignited by the Christian clergy of those two countries, especially the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Churches. Even today, in the Ukraine, National Heroes include Mass Murderers of Jews, such as Chmelnitzky, which is also true in many other countries where genocide took place over the past 1,000 years, including Russia, whose leaders surely murdered vast numbers of Jews.
Pity that stadium couldn’t have imploded, and swallowed him up!
Looks like Putin is running for crimes against humanity Man of the year award using a Putin version of “a Make Russian Great Again”,,,,Stalin Style stuffed stadium rally of decepetion, in fixed fraud election attempt to keep himself in office. The British also had to endure the German rockets and aircraft over London for months but ended up winning that war with American Help which did to German cities that which the Germans had done to the British Population. Any rogue nation at this point could sneak a dirty nuclear bomb into Moscow and set it off on Putin, and the world would celebrate yet the Ukrainians would get the blame along with the USA. Putin cannot be allowed to wage this kind of war and remain in power, and the Russian people must be labeled Anathema until such time as they get rid of him, excommunicating the entire Russian nation from international trade, banking, and commerce.
China should be given the ultimatum, you are with us or with Russia, whose economy is 10% of the USA, with European trade at risk as well.
Knowing the feckless UN, he’s likely to get nominated for a peace award or humanitarian of the year award..
>> ens of thousands of people who could not access the stadium followed the concerts in the vicinity of the Luzhniki, which seats more than 80,000 spectators. <<
Of course, we all recognize all those in attendance were there on their own volition.
nothing like a crowd held at gunpoint to cheer for you.
Something we often see with Dictators…