Victory Day Parade Shows Russia's Global Alliances

Russia held its largest military parade in years to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, attended by President Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and other foreign dignitaries, emphasizing Russia's efforts to reinforce global alliances despite Western isolation. Putin equated Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine to its WWII victory and claimed the conflict is a defense against Nazism and Western aggression. The presence of Xi Jinping underscored deepening Russia-China ties, while Brazil's participation demonstrated Moscow's continued diplomatic influence. Heightened security measures were in place due to repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, and Ukraine reported continued Russian strikes despite a declared ceasefire. In Lviv, foreign ministers, including the UK's David Lammy, signed a document supporting the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Putin and senior Russian officials for aggression against Ukraine. These events illustrate Russia's use of historical memory to unify the public and highlight the enduring divide with Western nations.