CNN
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Russian President Vladimir Putin is celebrating Russia’s Victory Day on Friday surrounded by friendly world leaders, watching as thousands of troops marched in a parade at Moscow’s Red Square.
The annual May 9 commemoration of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II is one of the most important days in Putin’s calendar, and this year marks its 80th anniversary.
Traditionally, the day has been dedicated to the estimated 25 million to 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians who died during the conflict. But since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Victory Day has become more of a propaganda exercise, with…
