Russia’s Putin has attempted to justify his unprecedented invasion of Ukraine on "Victory Day" — a key event on the country’s calendar.
Highlights
- Putin said the West was “preparing for the invasion of our land, including Crimea,” Putin said.
- He added that NATO was creating threats at Russia’s borders.
- Russia had amassed some 190,000 troops on its borders with Ukraine in the weeks before its invasion.
- There was little evidence of military aggression from Ukraine toward Russia, and Moscow’s claims to the contrary were seen by many as a pretext for justifying the invasion.
- Meanwhile, dozens are feared dead after a school in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine was hit by Russian shelling.