With leaders like Lula and Maduro, Putin celebrated Victory Day in Moscow

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, held the impressive military parade in Moscow on Friday to commemorate the "Victory Day" marking 80 years since the triumph over Nazi Germany. He was accompanied by specially invited leaders, including the Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, Lula da Silva, and Nicolás Maduro.

From Red Square, Putin boasted about the development of the war. Taking advantage of the eight-decade anniversary since the defeat of Nazism, he praised Russia's role in the current offensive in Ukrainian territory.

"The entire country, society, and people support the participants in the special military operation," proclaimed the Russian leader from the official stand. With the presence of 29 foreign heads of state, the Kremlin once again resorted to traditional patriotic fervor to project strength both internally and internationally, and to reaffirm its military invasion of Ukraine.

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This date holds special significance for Russians due to the time zone: although Nazi Germany's surrender was signed on May 8 in Central Europe, it was already May 9 in Moscow.

During the parade held in Red Square, more than 11,000 troops from the Russian army participated, including around 1,500 who have been in combat in Ukraine, along with military contingents from thirteen allied countries such as China, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Egypt, according to the official TASS agency.

The event was attended by about twenty heads of state, including the Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, the authoritarian Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose participation caused global controversy as it was seen as a gesture of support for Moscow, and Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

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In the same vein, the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, attended despite the European Union's policy of isolation toward Russia. Also present were the Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, as well as representatives from Russia's allied and economic partner countries, such as Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.

For the first time, the parade included drones like the Orlan, Lancet, and Geran models, frequently used by Russian forces in attacks against Ukraine. A varied display of modern weaponry was also showcased, including T-90 tanks, Iskander missiles, and S-400 air defense systems.

For security reasons, Russian authorities suspended mobile Internet connections in Moscow, due to the possibility of potential Ukrainian attacks.