San Francisco Frontiers - Putin hails troops in Ukraine as allies attend WWII parade

Putin sat with China's Xi Jinping watching a processions of thousands of troops -- some of whom fought in Ukraine -- and an array of weapons like new tanks and drones to mark the defeat of the Nazis.

Since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, Putin has evoked the Soviet war effort for his own military campaign that has killed many thousands and left Moscow occupying a fifth of its neighbour.

"The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation," Putin said, addressing the parade.

"We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory," he added.

The ex-KGB spy, who has led the country for 25 years, also said: "Russia has been and will remain an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism."

Moscow claims it launched its offensive on Ukraine to "de-Nazify" the country -- narratives rejected by Kyiv, the West and independent experts.

At home, Russia has banned criticism of its offensive and hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled their country since.

- Snipers, North Koreans, drones -

Security was tight ahead of the parade, with Moscow fearing it could be targeted by Ukraine.

Snipers were positioned on a luxury shopping mall that runs alongside Red Square and mobile internet was jammed.

"Russia! Russia!" the crowds chanted as Putin walked in front of the stands, escorted by several bodyguards.

Around 1,500 troops that had fought in Ukraine were among 11,000 marching on Red Square, state media reported.

The parade also featured a swathe of military hardware, including attack drones for the first time and more tanks than in previous years.

After the procession, Putin greeted heavily decorated North Korean commanders who had led Pyongyang's forces that helped Russia recapture its western Kursk region from Ukraine.

"All the best to you and all your troops," Putin said.

Chinese troops took part in the parade, with Putin and Xi holding talks a day earlier.

Putin has long said that the Soviet Union and primarily Russia were the main victors in WWII and called his nation Friday the "heirs of victors".

Olga Zhuravleva, whose father and grandfather fought in WWII, decried US leader Donald Trump for saying the war was "mostly accomplished because of us."

"Complete nonsense," she said, adding that she feels "great" pride for her country.

The Soviet Union lost more than 20 million civilians in WWII -- including Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Central Asians and other peoples.

Under 25 years of Putin's rule, the Kremlin has promoted a patriotic vision of WWII -- praising military feats, while glossing over the Soviet-Nazi Pact and the 1939 invasion of Poland.

- Tribunal -

Putin ordered his army to halt its attacks against Ukraine for three days to mark the occasion, but Kyiv has accused Russia of violating the truce hundreds of times.

In the days ahead of the parade, Ukraine fired dozens of drones at Moscow, forcing airports to shut and disrupting hundreds of flights.

But there were no reports of attempted attacks on the capital Friday.

In Russia's western Belgorod region, authorities said a Ukrainian drone hit the regional government building, wounding two people.

Kyiv argues Russia's May 9 celebrations have "nothing to do with the victory over Nazism" and that those marching on Red Square were "quite likely" implicit in crimes against Ukrainians.

As Putin saluted his troops on Red Square, EU foreign ministers were in Ukraine's Lviv in a show of support, where they approved the creation of a tribunal for Moscow to face punishment.

"There will be no impunity, there will be accountability for the crimes committed," EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Thursday in Warsaw before travelling to Kyiv.

"Putin may think he is a victor at the parade tribune, but in fact he is a criminal whose place is at the tribunal for the crime of aggression" Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said leaders from the "coalition of the willing" -- European states that are looking at sending troops to Ukraine to enforce a possible ceasefire -- would gather in Ukraine on Saturday.

J.Scott--SFF