International press review
In the spotlight: the Victory parades
Audio 04:33
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian Ground Forces Chief Oleg Salyukov during the May 9, 2022 military parade in Moscow.
REUTERS - EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA
By: Sébastien Duhamel Follow
4 mins
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While much is said about
the military parade today in Moscow
to celebrate the victory in the Second World War, the Russian press is obviously making its front page.
The site of the
Gazeta
in particular, as well as the
Rossiskaia Gazeta
, a newspaper founded by the government in the early 1990s. Because, yes, again it should be remembered, the Russian press no longer has any major independent newspapers.
Russian newspapers observed the commemorations organized on May 8 in France
And the Russian press compares with previous years… “
Usually
, reports the
Kommersant correspondent, delegations from the former Soviet republics laid flowers on the graves of Soviet soldiers who died on French soil in the cemetery of Noyers-Saint-Martin
” in the Hauts de France.
But this year, "
Ukrainian and Russian diplomats organized separate ceremonies, not even wanting to share the graves
", emphasizes
Kommersant
.
As for the celebrations in Paris, the Russian daily still believes, "
it's not a parade, like in Moscow, not a show of force, but a short ceremony in honor of the dead of what we hoped will be the last european war
.
»
The
Nezavissimaia Gazeta
seems to confirm: “
The Victory Day parade in Moscow traditionally raises high expectations – everyone is waiting to see new weapons and military equipment.
The Ministry of Defense established this tradition in 2015,
explains the Russian daily,
during the first demonstration of the T-14 Armata tank.
Since then, new vehicles have been added to the program every year.
In fact, the festive parade turned into a demonstration of the growing technical power of the Russian army
”.
The apotheosis was in 2020, we still read, the last year of the army reform program started by the Kremlin in 2008. But this year, in 2022, finally believes the
Nezavissimaia Gazeta,
“
no military news
” on Red Square…
Historical difference between May 8 and May 9
Why do we celebrate victory one day apart in the West and in the East?
Kommersant
reminds us that "
the first act of surrender of Nazi Germany was signed on French territory on May 7, 1945, in Reims
[and elsewhere],
under this document is the signature of the Soviet representative - Lieutenant-General Ivan Susloparov
”.
But we see, in the rest of the article, Stalin's desire to highlight the Soviet Union's contribution to this victory, because "
Moscow did not recognize this first act and demanded a re-signature in Berlin , which was done the next day, May 8
".
Officially at 11:01 p.m., or 1:01 a.m., in the early hours of May 9 in Moscow.
8 or 9, it is therefore above all a question of jet lag, but also, already at the time, an ideological difference...
An ideological difference accentuated at the time of the war in Ukraine
“
Both sides harden their positions on the anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis in Europe
,” points out the
New York Times
.
“
Each camp having hardened its rhetoric and its determination
”.
Indeed, "
the leaders of the wealthiest democracies in the world,
[the G7 leaders]
have promised to end their dependence on Russian energy and to ensure that Russia does not triumph in its
"unprovoked, unjustifiable and unlawful aggression",
while President Vladimir Putin continued his indiscriminate bombings in eastern Ukraine and orchestrated Russian Victory Day celebrations
.
In short, concludes the
New York Times
, "
Russian attacks on Ukrainian towns and villages have prompted a crescendo of Western rhetoric, accompanied by a constant danger of escalation
."
European newspapers also show this escalation
On the front page of the
Guardian
, in particular with this deadly Russian strike on Saturday May 7, "
60 people killed in the bombing of a school
", according to the results of the Ukrainian authorities.
Front page bombing of
El Pais
and La
Vanguardia
in Spain as well.
Still in Great Britain, we also see this escalation on the front page of the
Times
or the
Daily Telegraph.
Both had access in advance to the outline of a speech that Ben Wallace, Minister of Defense delivered this morning at the National Army Museum in London.
A speech in which he compares the actions of Moscow to those of Nazi Germany.
But Western unity remains in order, because with these new measures on May 8, "
the G7 defies Putin
" tells us the
Repubblica
in Italy, which shows us in front page, the black and white photo of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Western creed therefore seems to remain intact, confirms
La Sicilia,
“
All for one
” and “
Putin must not win this war
”.
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