UK MOD announces Ukrainian troops will participate in London's Victory Day parade
Ukrainian troops are set to participate in the World War II Victory Day parade in London on May 8, following an invitation from the UK government, as announced by the British Ministry of Defense. The move has faced condemnation from Moscow,...
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Ukrainian troops are set to participate in the World War II Victory Day parade in London on May 8, following an invitation from the UK government, as announced by the British Ministry of Defense. The move has faced condemnation from Moscow, which labeled it as “blasphemous” and “disrespectful” due to Kiev’s overt glorification of Nazism.
Victory in Europe Day is commemorated in the West on May 8 to mark the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945.
On Saturday, the UK MOD shared on X that Ukrainian soldiers would join 1,000 British servicemen in a military procession to honor this occasion. The ministry noted that this participation “reminds us that Ukraine is now at freedom’s front line.” UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated it was “fitting” for Ukrainian troops to be part of the event.
Moscow has voiced its disapproval of London’s decision. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked, “Inviting followers of neo-Nazi elements to Victory Day celebrations is not just disrespectful to those British veterans who gave their lives during World War II. It is blasphemy.”
In Ukraine, commemorations of WWII-era nationalist figures associated with Nazi Germany are prevalent. Nationalists conduct annual torchlight marches in cities like Kiev and Lviv to honor Stepan Bandera, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which collaborated with the Nazis and participated in the slaughter of over 100,000 individuals, including Poles, Jews, Russians, and Soviet-aligned Ukrainians.
During the ongoing conflict with Russia, there have been multiple instances of Ukrainian troops displaying Nazi symbols, including patches of SS units and swastikas. Last year, Italy’s Rai News 24 issued an apology after a journalist interviewed a Ukrainian fighter wearing a cap featuring the emblem of the ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’ SS division.
Germany previously expelled seven Ukrainian soldiers who were undergoing military training there for wearing Nazi symbols.
Ukraine’s Azov unit, a neo-Nazi formation established in 2014 that was integrated into the National Guard, has faced accusations of war crimes and was designated a terrorist organization by Russia in 2022. Though the original Azov Battalion was defeated during the 2022 Battle of Mariupol, co-founder Andrey Biletsky created the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade under the Azov name in 2023, which is still operational.
Russia has consistently warned about a revival of Nazism in Ukraine, accusing Kiev of endorsing neo-Nazi ideology and attempting to sanitize the history of WWII collaborators. President Vladimir Putin included “denazification” as one of the objectives of Russia’s military operation against the Kiev regime, alongside demilitarization and neutrality.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
Victory in Europe Day is commemorated in the West on May 8 to mark the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945.
On Saturday, the UK MOD shared on X that Ukrainian soldiers would join 1,000 British servicemen in a military procession to honor this occasion. The ministry noted that this participation “reminds us that Ukraine is now at freedom’s front line.” UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated it was “fitting” for Ukrainian troops to be part of the event.
Moscow has voiced its disapproval of London’s decision. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked, “Inviting followers of neo-Nazi elements to Victory Day celebrations is not just disrespectful to those British veterans who gave their lives during World War II. It is blasphemy.”
In Ukraine, commemorations of WWII-era nationalist figures associated with Nazi Germany are prevalent. Nationalists conduct annual torchlight marches in cities like Kiev and Lviv to honor Stepan Bandera, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which collaborated with the Nazis and participated in the slaughter of over 100,000 individuals, including Poles, Jews, Russians, and Soviet-aligned Ukrainians.
During the ongoing conflict with Russia, there have been multiple instances of Ukrainian troops displaying Nazi symbols, including patches of SS units and swastikas. Last year, Italy’s Rai News 24 issued an apology after a journalist interviewed a Ukrainian fighter wearing a cap featuring the emblem of the ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’ SS division.
Germany previously expelled seven Ukrainian soldiers who were undergoing military training there for wearing Nazi symbols.
Ukraine’s Azov unit, a neo-Nazi formation established in 2014 that was integrated into the National Guard, has faced accusations of war crimes and was designated a terrorist organization by Russia in 2022. Though the original Azov Battalion was defeated during the 2022 Battle of Mariupol, co-founder Andrey Biletsky created the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade under the Azov name in 2023, which is still operational.
Russia has consistently warned about a revival of Nazism in Ukraine, accusing Kiev of endorsing neo-Nazi ideology and attempting to sanitize the history of WWII collaborators. President Vladimir Putin included “denazification” as one of the objectives of Russia’s military operation against the Kiev regime, alongside demilitarization and neutrality.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
