Posted on8. May 2022, 2:59 pm
In preparation for Victory Day, Russian cannons rolled through Moscow, and fighters flew in the air. But what really happens on May 9? What exactly is Vladimir Putin planning?
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Will the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, declare victory over Ukraine, or will he declare a “total war”?
IMAGO / ZUMA wire
At the rehearsal of the Victory Day on May 9, tanks, ICBMs and other artillery vehicles rolled through Moscow on Saturday.
REUTERS
On May 9, Russia traditionally celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 with nationwide military parades.
AFP
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Many Russians believe that it is possible for him to announce universal mobilization for Ukraine.
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The conquest of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Donbas could also be sold as a victory to the Russian people.
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The big military parade and Putin’s speech are eagerly awaited.
Thousands of soldiers will march through Moscow’s Red Square on Monday’s 77th anniversary, followed by tanks, armored vehicles and rocket launchers, accompanied by airshows. The parade aims to showcase military might as Russia wages a military offensive in Ukraine that calls into question the image of the Russian army.
President Vladimir Putin is due to deliver a long-awaited speech in which he is to issue new warnings to the West. Many Russians believe that it is possible for him to announce universal mobilization for Ukraine, even if the Kremlin has denied it. There are three possible scenarios that could play out on Monday.
War in Ukraine: Putin declares victory
As announced a week ago, Putin may announce victory over Ukraine on Monday. The objectives of the “special operation” were not stated very clearly from the outset. One of the reasons for the invasion was the “denazification” of Ukraine. The head of the Kremlin could announce that Ukraine has been permanently weakened.
The conquest of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Donbas could also be sold as a victory to the Russian people. Or even the conquest of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, where you now have to pay in rubles, Ulrich Schmid, professor of Russian culture and society at St. Gallen.
The Theory of Hell: Mobilization and the Great Offensive in Ukraine
It has long been known that the Russian aggressive war is not proceeding as the Kremlin would like it to. Recently, it became known that on May 9, Vladimir Putin wanted to announce a “victory over Ukraine”. However, the war is not going as expected. Now, the assumption that a great offensive will be announced instead of victory is gaining in importance. British Defense Minister Ben Wallace also believes that such a scenario is likely. Many Russians believe that it is possible for him to announce universal mobilization for Ukraine, even if the Kremlin has denied it. Putin is also expected to make people forget about the sinking of Moscow, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, according to Focus.
Russia has about a million active soldiers. If Putin called for universal mobilization, around two million reservists could enlist on the orders of the Kremlin chief. Mobilization would significantly increase the level of Russian troops. Ukrainian intelligence reports also show that the Russians are gathering food supplies, which may also indicate mobilization.
Nuclear Threats: War Against NATO
Russian state broadcaster Rossiya 24 has shown a graphic of how Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin would launch a nuclear strike against three European capitals, saying that “there will be no survivors.” The broadcaster apparently reacted to statements by the British defense minister, who advocated Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure. Nuclear threats have recently increased.
Another factor may be that, from a Russian perspective, NATO is currently weak in Europe. It seems doubtful, however, whether this would be a sufficient reason for Russia to attack the West. Recently, former high-ranking NATO general Richard Shirreff warned that the West must prepare for a “worst-case” war with Russia in Ukraine as the Russian president could use the May 9 Victory Day parade to celebrate his victory. neighbors.
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