9 May: what message is Moscow sending?
Russia is celebrating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with a large military parade today. State guests from around 30 countries including Belarus, China, Slovakia and Brazil are attending. Commentators examine the symbolism of the ostentatious celebrations as the country wages war against Ukraine, as well as the motives of those attending.
No innocent gesture
Latvijas Avīze comments:
“Zelensky had stated that a number of countries had asked for confirmation that no attacks on Moscow were planned for 9 May, but that he could not give any such guarantees. ... So yes: those sitting on the tribune in front of Lenin's mausoleum are in theory putting themselves in danger. On the other hand, the trip to Moscow is a political gesture with high symbolic value. ... It is well known that foreign heads of state visit Kyiv, which is also targeted by Russian missiles and drones, on a regular basis. Such trips are therefore even riskier but serve to show that support for Ukraine remains unwavering. Those travelling to Moscow are also clearly expressing their position: their support for the aggressor.”
Direct incitement to aggression
Eesti Päevaleht wants to see greater opposition to the cult of war:
“This ceremony brings people together to support their country's aggression regardless of how irrational it may be. The propaganda is not only intended for domestic consumption, but for everyone who, for whatever reason, shares the ideology of the Russian world. It contains a direct call to attack anyone who currently opposes Moscow and its aggressive policies. This is the kind of war cult that we can at least resist here. ... The Kremlin's warmongering is a particularly good reminder of why we must fight against inhumane regimes.”
A venal political spectacle
The foreign guests at the parade are concerned with their own interests and not with commemoration, writes Dzerkalo Tyshnya:
“The 9 May 2025 in Moscow is not an expression of remembrance for the victims of the war that ended 80 years ago but a political spectacle in which each participant is pursuing their own goals. Some are visiting Putin to get weapons, some want fertilisers, and others just want to avoid falling out of favour with a neighbour that wields a 'nuclear bludgeon'. ... The 'Victory Parade' is a reflection of a changing world in which countries are trying to maximise their advantage by balancing between the interests of the US, China and Russia.”
Russia's Achilles heel
With an eye to the Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow in recent days, blogger Denys Kazanskyi comments in a Telegram post republished by Telegraf:
“In the fourth year of the war, Ukraine has suddenly found a real weak spot in Russia. Air traffic. ... It doesn't even need to bomb anything. A drone flying around in circles is enough to paralyse airports. Ukraine has nothing to lose in this regard - our airports have been closed since 2022 anyway. In Russia, however, air traffic has continued everywhere except in the border region. Now the situation has changed.”