As Russia celebrates its 80-year-old victory over Nazi Germany, Putin wants the world to see that despite the new conflict in Europe, he still has friends in high places.

Ukrainian drone strikes have heightened anxiety across Moscow ahead of this year’s May 9 parade on Red Square, where President Vladimir Putin will be watching with other leaders.

Moscow's grand avenues, like every year in early May, were taken over by the growling of 80-year-old tanks and the smell of gasoline burned by military vehicles. At the turn of the month, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine "cannot be held responsible" for whatever happens during Russian President Vladimir Putin's military spectacle,