Putin vowed to react strongly to any country that threatens Russia and criticized Germany for its commitment to deliver tanks to Ukraine.
“Time and again, we have to repel the aggression of the West. It is hard to believe but it is true that we are threatened by the German Leopard tank,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 2/. 2 spoke at the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Red Army over Nazi troops in Stalingrad, now the city of Volgograd, southern Russia.
Germany on January 25 said it would transfer 14 Leopard 2 main battle tanks in service to Ukraine, and at the same time approved the proposal of partner countries to re-export this type of tank to Kiev. The Leopard 2 is a third generation battle tank developed in the 1970s for the West German army, entered service in 1979. Germany produces more than 3,600 Leopard 2 tanks, a series of variants available in service in the army. team Germany and 13 European countries, as well as many countries outside the region.
“Unfortunately, we see that the ideology of fascism in a new form and expression once again directly threatens the security of our country,” Putin told a military officer. members of local youth and patriotic groups.
Russian President Vladimir Putin during an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in the city of Volgograd on February 2. Photo: Reuters.
Russian officials have compared the struggle against the Nazis in World War II to the military campaign in Ukraine. Ukraine, part of the former Soviet Union and also devastated by Hitler’s army, rejects this comparison as a pretense for hostilities.
Stalingrad witnessed the bloodiest battle of World War II, when the Soviet Red Army suffered over a million casualties during the Nazi siege.
In his victory speech, Putin invoked “the spirit of the defenders of Stalingrad” to explain why he thought Russia would win in Ukraine.
“Those who draw European countries, including Germany, into a new war with Russia and want to win against Russia on the battlefield do not seem to understand that a modern war with Russia would be completely different.” , he said. “We are not sending tanks to their borders, but we have the means to respond.”
The Russian president previously laid flowers at the grave of the Soviet marshal who commanded the defense of Stalingrad, and visited the city’s main memorial, where he observed a minute of silence in honor of those who died in battle. war. Thousands lined the streets of Volgograd to watch the victory parade as planes flew overhead and modern and World War II tanks and armored vehicles rolled by.
Some modern vehicles have the letter “V” painted, the symbol used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Russian tanks march to mark the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in the city of Volgograd on February 2. Photo: Reuters.
Irina Zolotoreva, 61, said her relatives fought in Stalingrad and she sees similarities with Ukraine.
“Our country is fighting for justice, for freedom. We won in 1942 and that’s an example for this generation. I think now we will win back no matter what. what happens,” she said.
Huyen Le (Theo AFP, Reuters)