Putin brushes off Western snub at huge WWII victory parade

MOSCOW, May 9, (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugged off a boycott by Western leaders at a huge military parade today to mark the 70th anniversary of victory in WWII before joining mammoth crowds for a commemorative march.

In what is seen as punishment for Kremlin meddling in Ukraine, Western countries led by Russia's World War II allies snubbed the May 9 festivities, leaving Putin to mark the day in the company of the leaders of China, Cuba and other Moscow-friendly figures.

Addressing thousands of foreign guests and veterans, Putin chose to ignore the boycott, thanking Britain, France and the US for their “contribution” to the defeat of Germany.

“Our fathers and grandfathers went through unbearable suffering, deprivation and losses,” Putin said, feting the country's veterans and the “grandeur of Victory over Nazism”.

“We are grateful to the people of Great Britain, France and the United States for their contribution to victory,” he added, also thanking those who fought against the Nazis in other countries including Germany.

In an apparent dig at the United States, Putin also criticised attempts to establish a “unipolar” world order and stressed the need to develop a “system of equal security for all states”, but he conspicuously shunned more aggressive rhetoric and made no mention of the Ukraine crisis.

Speaking at a reception later, Putin said international relations should be guided by the WWII-era “spirit of allied partnership”.

More than 16,000 soldiers including troops from China, India, Mongolia, Serbia and several ex-Soviet states marched past the leaders.

In a finely choreographed spectacle, troops including soldiers sporting Sovietera uniforms and rifles and a cavalry regiment marched across Red Square's famed cobbles as Putin, seated next to China's Xi Jinping, looked on.

Cutting-edge military equipment including the next-generation Armata T14 tank and nuclear missile systems rumbled through the square along with the famed war-era T-34 tank, in one of the biggest Victory Day celebrations in decades. The parade also saw over a hundred military aircraft — including longrange nuclear bombers — swoop over Moscow in a spectacular fly-by.

In a gesture highlighting Russia's newfound religious fervour, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu crossed himself at the start of the parade, and at noon church bells tolled for fifteen minutes.

Besides China's Xi, other high-profile guests at the parade were United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, India's President Pranab Mukherjee, and Abdel Fattah alSisi of Egypt.

Raul Castro of Cuba, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Jacob Zuma of South Africa were also in attendance.