The Kremlin continues to exploit myths about World War II and the celebrations of May 9 to justify to Russian society the prolonged war in Ukraine and possible future aggression against NATO. This is stated by analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports News.bg.
On May 8, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov published an article in which he presented the war in Ukraine as a feat comparable in importance to the Soviet Union's victory in World War II. He claims that the Russian invasion is a continuation of the “glorious traditions“ of Soviet bravery and heroism, and Russia's victory is “inevitable“. According to Belousov, internal unity is crucial to victory - just as the "moral and spiritual unity" of the Soviet people was a factor in their success in 1945.
Russian state media has emphasized the parallels Belousov drew between World War II and the war in Ukraine. This suggests that the Kremlin is deliberately trying to convince the Russian population that success in Ukraine depends on the public and its support.
Belousov also pointed out that Russia's large-scale military reforms are aimed at preparing for a future conflict with NATO. Such messages were complemented by threats from Dmitry Medvedev, the chairman of Russia's Security Council, who warned European countries that they should "remember the crushing defeat of Nazi Germany" when expressing support for Ukraine.
On the occasion of Victory Day, Russia declared a unilateral ceasefire from midnight on May 7/8 to midnight on May 10/11. However, Moscow accused Ukraine of violations, although Kiev has not officially agreed to such a truce. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha said that Russian forces had continued to attack along the entire front line.
Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation confirmed that Russian troops shelled Sumy and Kharkiv regions after the announced ceasefire. This underscores the need for any ceasefire or peace agreement to be formally negotiated and accompanied by effective monitoring mechanisms.
Ukraine continues to state its readiness for a 30-day ceasefire as a precondition for peace talks, an idea supported by former US President Donald Trump. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he had discussed with Trump concrete steps towards peace, including Ukraine's readiness for talks "in any format."
The head of the presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said that peace talks could only begin after the unconditional implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, an approach that has received support from the US and Ukraine's European partners.