think this year it s more special because of the special military operation happening in ukraine, he says. today i wave the flag to support our army. but i hope it will end soon, he adds, a hint of awareness, perhaps, of the horrific cost. this is what victory day is meant to mark, the soviet union s role in the allied victory in the second world war. russia sustained millions of casualties, paying an enormous sacrifice. but the power of a military parade to bolster national pride has never been lost on the kremlin s leaders, least of all president putin, whose victory day parades have for years heralded russia s resurgence as a military power.
rehearsals, says this man, who gives his name. i think this year, it s more special because of the special military operation happening in ukraine, he says. today i wave the flag to shore our army, but i hope it will end soon, he adds. a hint of awareness, perhaps, at the horrific cost. this is what victory day is meant to mark. the soviet union s role in the allied victory in the second world war. russia sustained millions of casualties, paying an enormous sacrifice. but the power of a military parade to bolster national pride has never been lost on the kremlin s leaders. least of all, president putin, whose victory day parades have hailed russia s resurgence as a
every year, i go to these rehearsals, says this man, who gives his name as misha. but i think this year it s more special because of the special military operation happening in ukraine, he says. today, i wave the flag to support our army, but i hope it will end soon, he adds, a hint of awareness, perhaps, of the horrific cost. this is what victory day is meant to mark, the soviet union s role in the allied victory in the second world war. russia sustained millions of casualties, paying an enormous sacrifice. but the power of a military parade to bolster national pride has never been lost on the kremlin s leaders, most of all president putin s, whose victory
then they can t really say that they have finally taken the city of mariupol, and they want to do that, especially by monday, which is may the 9th, when the russians have their victory day parades in moscow and elsewhere, marking their victory over nazi germany. it s an important moment for the russians and the thinking is that president putin very much wants to have some more successes to show to his people on the battlefield here in ukraine, and a final victory in mariupol would certainly fit the bill. but in the middle of all of that, we ve got these civilians who have been trapped inside that steelworks for months now, since the beginning of the war. they ve been living in hellish conditions without food well, with very dwindling supplies of food and water and medicine. so at least now we are seeing some people getting out of there. whether the remaining civilians can be evacuated from there, we ll have to wait and see.
clear out the plant, then they can t really say that they have finally taken the city of mariupol and they want to do that, especially by monday, which is may the 9th, when the russians have their victory day parades in moscow and elsewhere, marking their victory over nazi germany. it s an important moment for the russians and the thinking is that president putin very much wants to have some more successes to show to his people on the battlefield here in ukraine, and a final victory in mariupol would fit the bill. but in the middle of all of that we ve got these civilians who have been trapped inside that steelworks for months now, since the beginning of the war. they ve been living in hellish conditions without food well, with very dwindling supplies of food and water and medicine. at least now we are seeing some people getting out of there. whether the remaining civilians can be evacuated from there, we will