Putin calls for global security system as Russia marks ‘Victory Day’

Europe, News May 9, 2016 , by IRIA No Comments

Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the West and NATO over their ‘double standards’ as Russia displayed its military might in a Victory Day parade.

MOSCOW (Russia) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is all for creating a non-aligned system of international security to counter global terror. Speaking at the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Putin called on all nations to learn the lessons of WWII.

Vladimir Putin also issued a warning to the West and NATO over their ‘double standards’ as Russia displayed its military might in a Victory Day parade.

Putin said that Russia was open to working with other nations to combat what he called the “global threat” of terrorism and to create “a modern, nonaligned system of international security,” a system that Moscow believes has been blocked by the existence of NATO and the expansion of the United States-led military alliance into former Soviet territory in the Baltics.

Russian president was speaking at the Victory Parade in Moscow thousands of Russian military personnel marched through the square and huge tanks and rocket launchers were driven through Red Square in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses at the beginning of the Victory Day parade in Moscow, May 9, 2016. (Kremlin photo)

Marching in formation among the more than 10,000 soldiers who saluted President Vladimir Putin as they passed his viewing platform were 400 members of Russia’s newly formed National Guard, the vanguard of a 180,000-strong force that reports directly to Mr. Putin.

Russia showcased its modernised military war machine in a grand parade on Moscow’s Red Square on Monday, displaying the advanced air defence missile system used to protect its base in Syria and some of the jets that have flown missions there.

First, battalion after battalion of soldiers marched in regimented lines in front of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. Then came the tanks, the missiles and the aircraft.

The event, an annual fixture designed to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over the Nazis in the Second World War, took place in bright sunshine as President Vladimir Putin looked on from a tribune filled with Soviet war veterans.

More than 10,000 people took part in the capital city parade this year with 135 items of military hardware passing down Moscow’s streets, accompanied by 71 planes and helicopters, Russian media said.

MiG-29 jet fighters of the Strizhi (Swifts) and Su-27 jet fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic teams fly in formation during the Victory Day parade Photo: Getty Images

Victory Day commemorates the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviets on May 9, 1945. Every year it is remembered with military parades across Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Victory Day is Russia’s most important secular holiday and a key element of the national identity, reflecting the nation’s enormous suffering and honouring (m) millions of victims of World War II.

Apart from Moscow, military parades were held in other Russian cities, such as St. Petersburg and the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg.

Russian advanced weaponry on display at Parade

On display, at the parade, was the highly capable and advanced Armata tank, SU-25 aircraft and gigantic Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Also displayed was the advanced S-400 anti-aircraft weapons system which Russia currently has deployed in Syria – another staging ground where it has taken the opportunity to show off its military might.

The parade saw military equipment including the advanced Armata tank and the Yars ICBM launcher lumbered across the square, before helicopters, long-range bombers and Su-35 fighter jets used in Russia’s Syria campaign flew overhead.

Military might: A Russian Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile system drives through Red Square during the Victory Day parade. Photo: Reuters

This year’s parade was scaled back from last year’s event, which had marked the 70th anniversary of Russia’s victory, but it still included 10,000 troops — 6,000 fewer than in 2015 — and a flotilla of tanks, armored personnel carriers and missile systems.