Zelensky lowers Putin's 'Parade of Fear' in the defiant Kyiv video

The Ukrainian President VolodytyMR Zelensky condemned the celebrations planned for the Red Square in Moscow on May 9 as “parade of fear”.

In a video address that was taken over during the walk in Kyiv, Zelensky compared events in the Ukrainian capital before the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany with “The Columns of Tanks and Marching Blocks of Killers” in Moscow.

His comments on Thursday follow his nightly address, in which he referred to drones that Moscow and other parts of Russia have targeted, and said it was “completely fair” that Russian sky is not calm.

Newsweek contacted the Kremlin for a comment.

Why is it important

Zelensky's recent comments follow his call to a 30-day ceasefire that had been agreed with the USA but was rejected by Putin.

In the course of the Victory Day celebrations, the Russian president has unilaterally explained a three-day ceasefire, which will be an important propaganda event for the Kremlin in view of his aggression in Ukraine.

However, a flood of Ukrainian drones has closed airports in Moscow and targeted Russian military facilities. Zelensky's earlier comments on how Russian sky are not calm, it will add to speculations that Kyiv intends to disturb the event.

What to know?

In the clip released on Thursday, Zelensky himself is shot when he goes on the sidewalk in Kyiv when the traffic flows over.

In the clipHe said he wanted to compare what happens on Kyiv's Independence Square, with what took place on the Red Square of Moscow, where samples with military vehicles and troops take place.

The video cuts undated film material from Red Square, where troops and military equipment take place when he referred to tank columns as well as “march blocks from murderer” and “staged crowds”.

Zelensky said Moscow repeated the evil of Hitler in Ukraine when he had a comparison between Nazis atrocities and what happened in the full invasion.

Zelensky said that the event on Friday at the Red Square would be a “parade of cynicism … of bile and lies” as if it were Putin who personally defeated National Socialism.

However, this ignored the victims that many, including the Ukrainians, rendered in World War II, while today almost every Ukrainian family had a hero who fought against a new evil, he added.

On Wednesday evening, Zelensky referred to the drones that have grounded flights to the Russian capital and aimed at military institutions, and said it was “completely fair” that Russian sky is not calm before the celebrations for the day of victory.

Zelensky used to say that Ukraine could not guarantee the security of the world leaders who participated in the celebrations in Moscow. Since then, Kyiv has introduced veiled threats, whereby the head of the Ukrainian military out service General Kyrylo Budanov said that Russians should watch the sky on Friday that “earplugs” should.

On Thursday, the Atesh partisan group announced that it interrupted communication in several Russian military facilities and destroyed the equipment in a transformer congestion in the Moscow region.

What people say

Ukrainian President Volodyymr Zelensky on Thursday: “It will be a parade of cynicism … a parade from Galade and lies … a parade of fear.”

He said on Wednesday: “It is completely fair that the Russian sky – the attacker's heaven – is not calm either.”

What happens next

It is expected that around 20 world leaders will take part in the event on Friday, which the Kremlin hopes to knock it. The participants are allies such as President China and Belarus, President Xi Jinping and Alexander Lukashenko.

Slovakia, Robert Fico, will be the only EU leader in which he should participate in despite Brussels' criticism. Aleksandar Vučić, the head of Serbia, who strives for the EU membership, will also take part.