Russia's celebration of victory in World War II is a key pillar of Putin’s rule
Associated Press
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Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, front center, leave Red Square after the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is driven along Red Square in an Aurus car during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, front left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, centre, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, centre right, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, second right, and the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, right, leave Red Square after the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian military cadets march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian military cadets march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian President Vladimir Putin, front, toasts as he attends an official reception, to mark 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, in the Palace of the Facets at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Russia is wrapping itself in patriotic pageantry for Victory Day, a celebration of its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II that President Vladimir Putin has turned into a pillar of his nearly quarter-century in power and a justification of his military action in Ukraine. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, toasts as he attends an official reception, to mark the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, in the Palace of the Facets at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Russia is wrapping itself in patriotic pageantry for Victory Day, a celebration of its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II that President Vladimir Putin has turned into a pillar of his nearly quarter-century in power and a justification of his military action in Ukraine. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Russian Air Force Su-25 jets fly over Red Square leaving trails of smoke in the colours of the Russian national flag during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo)Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, center, arrives to attend the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian President Vladimir Putin sits during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Veterans watch the Victory Day military parade at the Palace Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)People walk with portraits of relatives who fought in World War II, during the Immortal Regiment action celebrating the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Sevastopol, Crimea, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo)Russian servicewomen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)A Russian serviceman stands in a military vehicle rolling during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian RS-24 Yars ballistic missiles roll during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)A legendary Soviet era T-34 tank with a red flag atop rolls during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Russian Air Force Su-25 jets fly over Red Square leaving trails of smoke in colours of the national flag during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
