Live blog: Putin tells Victory Day parade 'real war' unleashed on Russia

Russia-Ukraine conflict is now in its 441st day.

The Victory Day anniversary is emotionally charged as Russia mourns thousands of soldiers killed in the nearly 15-month war in Ukraine, which shows no sign of ending. / Photo: AP
AP

The Victory Day anniversary is emotionally charged as Russia mourns thousands of soldiers killed in the nearly 15-month war in Ukraine, which shows no sign of ending. / Photo: AP

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed his country's Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square, claiming that “a real war” has been unleashed against Russia — a reference to the war in Ukraine that the Kremlin says is a proxy conflict with the West.

“Today civilization is once again at a decisive turning point,” Putin said. “A real war has been unleashed against our Motherland.”

He welcomed soldiers fighting in Ukraine who were present at the parade. “To Russia! To our brave armed forces! To Victory!” Putin concluded the speech.

Russia unleashed a barrage of cruise missiles on Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, hours before the start of Moscow's annual commemorations celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

The event this year is taking place amid tight security measures following a series of drone attacks, including on the Kremlin citadel itself, that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine.

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1430 GMT — US announces $1.2B in new military aid for Ukraine

The United States has announced a new $1.2 billion security assistance package for Ukraine to boost the country's air defences and provide it with additional artillery ammunition.

The package underscores the continued US commitment to Ukraine "by committing critical near-term capabilities, such as air defence systems and munitions, while also building the capacity of Ukraine's armed forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term," the Defense Department said in a statement.

It features unspecified air defence systems and munitions as well as equipment to integrate Western systems with Ukraine's existing gear, which is mainly of Soviet vintage.

1413 GMT — Companies to supply long-range missiles for Ukraine: UK

A British-led group of European countries has asked for expressions of interest to supply Ukraine with missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometres in what would be another step-up in military support for Kiev against Russia's attacks.

The call for responses from companies who could provide such missiles was included in a notice posted last week by the International Fund for Ukraine — a group of countries including Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden — set up to send weapons to Kiev.

Britain's Ministry of Defence, which administers the fund, asked companies to get in touch if they could provide missiles that can be launched from land, sea or air with a payload of between 20 and 490 kilograms (44 and 1,078 pounds).

1319 GMT — Wagner boss says Russian army unit fled combat in Bakhmut

The boss of Russia's Wagner mercenary group has accused a Russian military unit of fleeing positions near Bakhmut in Ukraine and said the state was incapable of defending its country.

"Today one of the units of the defence ministry fled from one of our flanks... exposing the front," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video. He threatened to pull his fighters out of Bakhmut on May 10 if he did not receive badly needed ammunition.

"Soldiers should not die because of the absolute stupidity of their leadership," he added.

1145 GMT — Norway says Ukraine war exposes gas infrastructure vulnerabilities

Norway's National Security Authority has warned that the war in Ukraine has shown that the country's undersea oil and gas infrastructure could be vulnerable to sabotage and requires measures to protect it.

The assessment comes seven months after the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea were hit by explosions whose perpetrator has yet to be established.

"Experience in the period following the invasion shows that the undersea infrastructure that transports gas, power and electronic communications can be particularly exposed and vulnerable to sabotage," the Norwegian security agency said in a report.

For undersea infrastructure, like other critical facilities in the country, "security measures must be implemented so that an adequate level of security is achieved," the authority said.

1104 GMT — Zelenskyy slams 'unacceptable' EU curbs on Ukraine grain

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has slammed restrictions on grain exports from his war-torn country that were imposed by neighbouring EU nations, saying the measures are a boon to Russia.

"All restrictions on our exports are completely unacceptable right now. They only reinforce the abilities of the aggressor," Zelensky said during a press conference in Kiev with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.

"We are waiting for the EU to stop all restrictions as fast as possible."

1015 GMT — Ukraine says Russia still pounding Bakhmut, has failed to capture it

The Ukrainian military has said Russian forces were still attacking the eastern city of Bakhmut, missing a deadline to capture it before Moscow's Victory Day.

A Ukrainian general said on Sunday that Russian forces were hoping to capture Bakhmut before the annual holiday when Russia marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

0717 GMT UN chief says peace talks in Ukraine conflict not possible right now

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said he sees no immediate possibility of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire in the war in Ukraine as both sides are convinced they can win, according to an interview published by Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Guterres, who is in Spain to receive the Charles V European Award, told El Pais the UN was instead focusing on talks with both Russia and Ukraine to solve concrete problems such as extending the Black Sea grain deal that is set to expire on May 18. "Unfortunately, I believe that at this stage, a peace negotiation is not possible.

Asked about mediation efforts by China or Brazilian leader Lula, Guterres stressed that achieving peace in the conflict could not happen at the moment, though he hoped that "in the future it will".

0641 GMT European Union, Ukraine mark Europe Day

For the first time, Ukraine and the European Union are marking Europe Day together.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU's executive branch, has made a special trip to Kiev to deliver a speech after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his nation would from now on “celebrate Europe Day together with all of free Europe."

More than a year into the war with Russia, Ukraine's ambition to join the bloc has amplified in order to anchor its future with the West.

Next month, it will be one year since the EU nations granted Ukraine candidate status, boosted it with aid and military support and sanctioned Russia with increasing sanctions.

For our live updates from Monday (May 8), click here.

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