80th Anniversary of Russia's Victory Day Parade
North Korea, China, and Russia Gather in Red Square
Putin Demonstrates Allies to the West and Stresses 'Victory'
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping demonstrated their close relationship at the Victory Day military parade held in Moscow, Russia, on May 9 (local time), commemorating the victory in World War II.
According to Russian state-run TASS and other foreign media on the same day, President Putin and President Xi sat side by side at the very center of the reviewing stand, watching the military parade together. Despite facing Western sanctions due to Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for four years, Russia showcased that it is not isolated in the international community, thanks to the support of President Xi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin embracing a North Korean general after the Victory Day parade in Red Square. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
In addition to President Xi, leaders from 27 countries friendly to Russia, including President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, and President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, attended the parade and expressed their support for President Putin.
Kim Jong Un, Chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission, whose possible visit to Russia for Victory Day had been speculated, did not attend. Although it was not a summit among the leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia, President Putin gave special treatment to the North Korean delegation by meeting them separately. After the parade, he personally greeted each member of the North Korean military delegation assembled in Red Square with a handshake.
The North Korean delegation consisted of five members, including Kim Young Bok, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army; Ri Chang Ho, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau (Colonel General); and Shin Geum Chul, Director of the Operations Bureau (Major General). Kim Young Bok, along with Ri Chang Ho and Shin Geum Chul, is known to have been deployed to the front lines in Russia's Kursk region since the early stages of North Korea's troop dispatch. The North Korean military was sent to Kursk, a southwestern border area of Russia where battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces have taken place, to support Russian troops.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin watching together the 80th Victory Day military parade in Russia. Photo by TASS and Yonhap News.
In his speech, President Putin emphasized victory in the special military operation in Ukraine with remarks such as "Truth and justice are on our side," "The entire country and all our people support those participating in the 'special military operation'," and "We have an indomitable will that brings us nothing but victory."
Approximately 11,500 people participated in the soldiers' march that took place before the weapons parade. When Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who has no military background, announced the start of the parade in a suit and tie, the soldiers shouted "Ura!" (hurray) in unison and marched to the music of the military band.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
