LONDON (dpa-AFX) – On Russia’s “Victory Day” over Hitler’s Germany, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace compared Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine to Nazi atrocities. In a speech Monday, Wallace called for Putin and his generals to be tried before an international war crimes tribunal, just like the Nazi leadership was after World War II.
“With their invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle and his generals are now mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 70 years ago and repeating the mistakes of the totalitarian regimes of the last century,” Wallace said. “Their destiny must be the same as well.” Russia’s victims of the past should not be forgotten, “but neither should the lessons of what lies ahead for the perpetrators of such unprovoked brutality,” he stressed.
The speech at the National Army Museum in London coincided with “Victory Day”, with which Russia celebrates victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War on May 9 every year. In its war propaganda, the Russian leadership repeatedly falsely claims that the Ukrainian leadership is being controlled by Nazis. President Putin justified the attack on the neighboring country with the aim of “denazifying” Ukraine.
Wallace accused Putin of “fairytale claims”. “If it weren’t so sad, it would be amusing,” he said. NATO does not threaten Russia, nor are there any NATO bases in Ukraine. “I think he believes what he wants to believe – a slight semblance of desperation.”
He emphasized: “NATO, Great Britain, Eastern Europe – nobody plans to invade Russia. And nobody has ever done it.” At the military parade on “Victory Day” in Moscow, Putin justified the attack on Ukraine by saying that Russia had “preventively” fended off an aggression./bvi/DP/eas