The annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia a year ago is celebrated with great celebration in Moscow.
ANNOUNCEMENT
On the first anniversary of the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin paid tribute to fallen Russian soldiers. He also observed a minute’s silence for former prisoners who were released from the prison camp to fight against the neighboring country and were killed there.
Russian state media on Friday released a video of Putin’s meeting with soldiers allegedly involved in the war against Ukraine. Putin said in the short film excerpt that the war effort freed prisoners from their guilt. “We are all human beings and everyone can make some mistakes. They made them, but they gave their lives for the motherland and fully atoned for their guilt,” Putin said.
Since the invasion of Ukraine more than 19 months ago, Russia has repeatedly recruited prisoners for combat operations. Many of them died in the extremely costly fighting around the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine a few months ago.
There are also increasing reports of former prisoners returning from Ukraine and committing new crimes in Russia.
Later on Friday there would be a celebration in Moscow’s Red Square marking the annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia a year ago. The Kremlin wants to use the planned concert featuring Russian pop stars such as Dima Bilan and Sergei Lazarev primarily as an internal political demonstration of power.