The Russian president promised a tough response to unfriendly actions against the country, noting the threats posed to Russia by powers which seek to wage an undeclared war against the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lamented that Nazism in its current guise once again threatens Russia during a speech at a concert commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. He added that Moscow once again has to make a stand against the forces of the collective West.
Referring to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin noted that Russia is once again threatened with German tanks and that foreign powers try to use the adherents of Stepan Bandera - the infamous WWII Ukrainian Nazi collaborator - to attack Russia.
"Unbelievable, but it is a fact: we are once again being threatened with German tanks – Leopards – that have crosses (painted) on their sides," Putin said.
The Russian president also warned that those who seek to drag Germany into a new war and hope to achieve victory on the battlefield apparently fail to understand that a war with Russia today would be quite different.
These powers which try to wage an undeclared war against Russia will receive a tough response to their actions, Putin remarked.
"We do not send tanks to their borders," the president remarked, adding, however, that Russia still has other means to retaliate.
Regarding the nature of this response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that Russia is going to utilize its significant capabilities to a greater extent as the collective West continues to supply new weapons to Ukraine.
Last week, Germany announced its intent to supply some 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, making this move after repeatedly being urged to do so by Washington and Kiev. Shortly afterwards, the United States said it would send Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Kiev.
Putin lays wreath in memory of Stalingrad defenders
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday visited the memorial complex on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd as part of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.
The president laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame in the Hall of Military Glory, then observed a minute of silence in memory of Soviet soldiers killed during the Battle of Stalingrad.
Putin then went to the grave of Marshal Vasily Chuikov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, who is buried on Mamaev Kurgan, and also laid flowers. During the war, Chuikov commanded the 62nd Army, which became famous for its heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad.··
80th anniversary
February 2, 2023, marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. During the days of celebration in Volgograd there will be about 250 events, the main ones being a military parade, a concert conducted by Yury Bashmet, as well as fireworks on Mamaev Kurgan and the central waterfront.
The Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943) was one of the largest during the Great Patriotic War in terms of size, duration and number of participants. It radically changed the course of the war and heralded the victory of the Soviet army over the Nazi troops.
Kremlin reacts to calls to bring back Stalingrad
Calls to rename the Russian city of Volgograd back to Stalingrad should be treated with caution, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
The idea has been proposed by several activists ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the key events of World War II, marked on February 2.
“There are no discussions in the administration or at the presidential level” regarding the proposed name change, Peskov told journalists on Thursday.
The spokesman referred to a recent survey by state-run pollster VTSIOM, showing most locals “didn’t share the opinion” that their city should be called Stalingrad again.
“That’s why one must be very careful and weigh all pros and cons” when deciding the issue, Peskov said.
Some 67% of Volgograd residents who took part in the study published on Wednesday said that they were against restoring the name ‘Stalingrad.’ The most popular grounds for objection were that it would be too costly for the city budget. Those in favor of the name change made up 26%, according to the poll, viewing it as a means of preserving historical memory.
Volgograd, home to around a million people, sits on the Volga River in southern Russia and was established in the late 16th century with the original name Tsaritsyn. It was renamed Stalingrad in 1925 after Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, and received its modern-day name in 1961.
Between July 17, 1942 and February 2, 1943, the city was the venue of the Battle of Stalingrad, believed to be the biggest and bloodiest standoff of World War II. The events played a decisive role in turning the tide of the conflict in favor of the USSR. According to some estimates, the fighting between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany resulted in up to two million casualties, with more than a million dead. The city was razed to the ground during the hostilities, and had to be rebuilt almost from scratch.
The idea of bringing back the name ‘Stalingrad’ has repeatedly been mooted in recent years. Last month, a group called the International Union of Former Juvenile Victims of Fascism made the proposal in letters to former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who is in charge of the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, and to Volgograd Region Governor Andrey Bocharov.
Some of the signs in Volgograd have temporarily been replaced with those reading ‘Stalingrad,’ a change made for nine days every year on the anniversary of the historic battle.
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