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A public relations expert, Artem Kovalenko, has said that the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin’s great patriotic war is only part of a global conflict.
In an op-ed authored in Kyiv, Ukraine, Artem said on May 9, Putin will once again celebrate Victory Day in the so-called “Great Patriotic War” on Moscow’s Red Square.
He also said under Putin’s rule, Victory Day has become more than just a commemoration of the Soviet defeat of Nazi.
Artem further said the parade, a showcase of Russian military might, has been elevated into a core ritual of legitimising his regime.
“However, for the first time in 20 years, this year’s parade will feature no heavy military equipment and the number of high-ranking foreign officials will be noticeably smaller.
“Russia’s so-called ‘Great Patriotic War’ is merely a segment of the Second World War (1939-1945), which the Kremlin exploits as an ideological tool in an attempt to portray Russia as the sole victor and to monopolise the right to the victory in World War II.
“In reality, the victory was achieved through the combined efforts of many nations, including Ukraine and other former Soviet republics,” Artem said.
While further saying that the development was Kremlin’s historical manipulations, he added that Putin systematically distorts history, exaggerating Russia’s role in WWII and silencing the contributions of millions of Ukrainians, Belarusians and others from the USSR, along with Western allies.
“This is part of a wider propaganda campaign to legitimise modern aggression of Russia against Ukraine.
“Putin is acting like Hitler in the 1930s, trying to repeat Hitler’s script today through hate propaganda, territorial claims, aggression against neighbours and disregard for international institutions. All of this is pushing the world towards a new global catastrophe.
“The symbolism has taken on even greater meaning since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The defeat of Nazi Germany has been fused with Putin’s bogus claim that Russia needs to defeat fictitious Nazis in Ukraine.
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“Despite Kremlin propaganda, it’s clear that the so-called “special military operation” (SVO) has nothing to do with WWII. The latter was a just defensive war against Nazism; the SVO is aggression and terror against a peaceful neighbouring country.
“For the USSR, WWII was a struggle for survival and the liberation of oppressed peoples. The SVO is an attempt to destroy an independent state, impose Kremlin’s will and annex its territories. It is the opposite of what WWII represented,” he stated.
The public relations expert further said the Kremlin declared mythical goals of “denazification” and “demilitarisation,” goals it not only failed to achieve, but also reversed, as Ukraine now has one of the strongest armies in Europe and NATO has expanded northward.
“There were no real fascists in Ukraine, only a rhetorical phantom.
“False victory cult has become a cult of war. Russia no longer celebrates peace, it celebrates war. Instead of remembrance, there is a militarist show that degrades those who fought for peace.
“The 2026 victory parade in Moscow is a mockery of the memory of true heroes. The absence of international guests and the display of outdated equipment, much of which has been decimated on the battlefield, signal Russia’s isolation, decline and the loss of the event’s symbolic significance. This is not a triumph, but a sign of decay.
“The myth of ‘Russian victory’ is shattering against Ukrainian reality. Kremlin propaganda narratives cannot withstand scrutiny. The current war demonstrates the military, political and moral superiority of Ukraine and the civilised world.
“Modern-day Russia is not the heir to the Victory, it is betraying it. The Kremlin has turned the 20th century’s greatest moral symbol, the victory over Nazism into a pretext for new aggression. This is both immoral and cynical.
“At the same time, the entire world understands that international law must serve the victims, not the aggressors. After World War II, the world vowed ‘never again.’ Today, this means zero tolerance for aggression and no ‘saving face’ for war criminals. International law must protect the victims and punish the aggressors.
“Given Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the international community must act, not remain silent. If the UN is to remain relevant, it must serve as a tool for conflict resolution and justice, rather than a platform for the aggressors’ rhetoric. Neutrality in the face of evil is equivalent to complicity,” Artem concluded.
