Ukraine war: Putin appears at huge Moscow rally, lavishing praise on Russian troops

‘Shoulder to shoulder, they help and support each other,’ the Russian president said of the Kremlin’s forces. ‘We have not had unity like this for a long time,’ he added

Some said the rally – held to mark the anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which was seized from Ukraine – was a manufactured display of patriotism

Reading Time:3 minutes

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a concert marking the 8th anniversary of Crimea’s reunification with Russia at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, on March 18. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:50am, 19 Mar 2022Updated: 5:55am, 19 Mar 2022

Vladimir Putin appeared at a huge flag-waving rally at a Moscow stadium on Friday and lavished praise on his troops fighting in Ukraine, three weeks into the invasion that has led to heavier-than-expected Russian losses on the battlefield and increasingly authoritarian rule at home.

Meanwhile, the leader of Russia’s delegation in diplomatic talks with Ukraine said the sides have narrowed their differences. The Ukrainian side gave no immediate account of the negotiations.

The Moscow rally came as Russian troops continued to rain lethal fire on Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and pounded an aircraft repair installation on the outskirts of Lviv, close to the Polish border.

Vladimir Putin attends a concert marking the 8th anniversary of Crimea’s reunification with Russia at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, on March 18. Photo: EPA-EFE

“Shoulder to shoulder, they help and support each other,” the Russian president said of the Kremlin’s forces in a rare public appearance since the start of the war. “We have not had unity like this for a long time,” he added to cheers from the crowd.

The show of support amid a burst of anti-war protests inside Russia led to allegations in some quarters that the rally – held officially to mark the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which was seized from Ukraine – was a manufactured display of patriotism.

Several Telegram channels critical of the Kremlin reported that students and employees of state institutions in a number of regions were ordered by their superiors to attend rallies and concerts marking the anniversary. Those reports could not be independently verified.

Moscow police said more than 200,000 people were in and around the Luzhniki stadium. The event included patriotic songs, including a performance of Made in the USSR, with the opening lines “Ukraine and Crimea, Belarus and Moldova, it’s all my country.”

Seeking to portray the war as just, Putin paraphrased the Bible to say of Russia’s troops: “There is no greater love than giving up one’s soul for one’s friends.”