Apacked stadium played host to a fresh defense by Russian President Vladimir Putin of his so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine, assuring thousands of cheering people that his country is “preventing” a genocide on Ukrainian territory.
At Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Stadium, Putin, surrounded by banners with phrases such as “For a world without Nazism!”, “For the president!” and “For Russia!”, promised everyone present and the millions of Russians watching the event on television that all the Kremlin’s goals will be achieved.
Putin holding a mass rally to preach about the urgent need to eradicate Nazism would be funny if it wasn’t so deadly serious.
HE is the Nazi, waging illegal genocidal war against a sovereign democratic nation with a Jewish president. pic.twitter.com/mDkCZZ5Rwr— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 18, 2022
Thousands of Russians cheered for Putin
The Russian president, present at the grand concert and pro-war rally to commemorate the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, extolled the heroism of his country’s soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans… shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time,” Putin told the Russian people.
An unexpected moment occurred midway through Putin’s speech, when state television suddenly cut to the president and switched to showing a patriotic performance. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cited a technical glitch in a server as the reason for the sudden interruption of the president’s message.
Here's video of Putin suddenly vanishing mid-sentence. Where is he?! pic.twitter.com/c6VqE6GG3s
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 18, 2022
Russia ‘avoids genocide’ in Ukraine, says Pution
Putin again argued that the United States has been using Ukraine to threaten Russia, which is why the Kremlin is seeking to defend itself against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukrainians.
Quoting 18th century Russian naval commander Fyodor Ushakov, Putin said “he once said that these thunderstorms go to the glory of Russia, that is the way it was then, that is the way it is now and it will always be that way. Thank you.”
Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium, which hosted the World Cup final in 2018, is packed out for a pro-war rally on the anniversary of Russia’s Crimea annexation.
Lots of reports of state employees being bussed in. They’re watching a video with Ukrainian flags being thrown to the ground pic.twitter.com/fIKEzD5WnV
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 18, 2022
