INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Recast and upgraded with reaction and analysis.President Vladimir Putin said Russia is defending its historical lands on Wednesday as the
nation approaches the one year anniversary of its bloody intrusion of Ukraine.Speaking at a state-organized performance the day prior to
Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is a legal holiday, Putin provided a significantly short address to a crowd of 10s of thousands
Ive just been hearing from the greatest military command that at this very minute there is a continuous battle on our historic lands, for
It is led by similarly brave fighters to the ones standing next to us here today, he said, flanked by Russian soldiers.The presidents
speech-- which lasted less than 5 minutes-- was preceded by performances from pro-war artists, Russian military veterans and a group of
Ukrainian children obviously from the city of Mariupol, which was devastated in the early months of the invasion
Today, protecting our interests, our people, our culture, language and territory, our entire nation is the protector of our Fatherland,
Much of what Putin stated echoed his words from his state-of-the-nation address on Tuesday, as well as previous speeches he has actually
provided because the start of the war
Following a performance of the national anthem, Putin went on to give handshakes to military personnel on the stage, while the arena shouted
Russia! When we are together, nobody can be our equal
For the unity of the Russian nation! Putin said, before calling on the crowd to shout Russia! again.Tens of thousands of people braved
subzero temperature levels to attend the occasion-- two days prior to the one year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine-- at Moscows
Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the football World Cup final in 2018
Spectators attending the pro-war rally and performance in Moscows Luzhniki stadium.Sergei Fadeichev/ TASSOver 200,000 people took part in
the event, news firm Interfax reported citing a Russian cops declaration
Lots of waved Russian tricolor flags and provided soft applause in between efficiencies and speeches.Like previous such main rallies, most
of the crowd appeared to be comprised of workers of state-run business, or federal government agencies, who had actually been told by their
I didnt really wish to go to the performance, however at least Ill visit the arena-- Ive never been, a guy in his 50s making his way
toward Luzhniki earlier in the day informed The Moscow Times
We need to go and theres absolutely nothing we can do about it
The authorities are using it as a propaganda tool, said another state staff member, who was participating in the concert and asked for
I wouldnt go to the event willingly
Organizers obviously assured to distribute hot meals and Russian flags to attendees.A Moscow City Hall staff member who spoke on condition
of anonymity told The Moscow Times that city staff members were sent out to Luzhniki stadium in order to make sure a big crowd.All concert
attendees underwent strict security checks upon arrival at the stadium and independent media reported that a Pantsir air defense system was
Putins speech did not seem to motivate much enthusiasm among analysts, even strong advocates of the war-- and state-run TV broadcasts of the
occasion did disappoint any high-ranking officials or other members of the Russian elite in the audience.The address was more like a speech
by a rational head of state, not a leader of the crowd, pro-Kremlin expert Sergei Markov wrote on Telegram
He was presenting arguments, not setting things on fire or inspiring
The rally itself included several other speeches from participants of the special military operation, the Kremlins term for the war in
Ukraine wanted to ruin us and we were required to use up the weapons to safeguard our households, children and ladies, said Sergei Lomov,
a soldier who appeared on crutches, wearing camouflage outfit embellished with a Russian flag
The event included performances by different pro-war vocalists, including pro-Kremlin crooner Oleg Gazmanov, some of which were disrupted by
At one point, a group of kids-- introduced by the performance hosts as kids saved from Mariupol -- was caused stage
Thank you uncle Yura for saving me, my sister and numerous countless kids from Mariupol, stated a noticeably anxious girl prior to
Russia has beenaccused of forcibly deporting thousands of Ukrainian kids to Russian territory and putting them up for adoption, something
that would constitute a war crime if proven to be real
The lack of new ideas in Putins speech suggests that there will be no let-up in Russias effort to take more territory in Ukraine, according
to Oleg Ignatov, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group
The idea of yesterdays state-of-the-nation address and todays rally-concert is the exact same: do not move, sit tight, were not going to
alter anything, theres no turning back, we need to make it through, he told The Moscow Times.After the end of the event, the crowd rapidly
distributed, with many heading for the dozens of buses parked near the arena
Despite alcohol being banned, a Moscow Times reporter saw numerous greatly intoxicated males
It was a good concert, stated a female, who declined to give her name however was curtained in a big Russian flag
