Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a warning stating that he cannot guarantee security for the 80th anniversary Victory Day celebration at Moscow’s Red Square, where various international leaders including Myanmar’s coup leader Min Aung Hlaing are expected to attend. The event, scheduled for May 9th in Moscow’s Red Square, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Chinese President Xi Jinping and several other international leaders are planned to attend alongside Myanmar’s military council leader.
President Zelenskyy explicitly stated that Ukraine would not take responsibility for any incidents that might occur within Russian territory during this period. He also firmly rejected Russian President Putin’s proposal for a ceasefire from May 8th to May 10th. This rejection comes in response to Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian President’s statement drew sharp criticism from Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who characterized it as a direct threat to the security of international leaders attending the event.
Myanmar’s military council leader Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to depart for Russia on May 7th to participate in the Red Square military parade. Military council forces will also take part in the parade ceremonies in Russia. The participation of the military council leader and forces in Russia’s ceremony has faced strong condemnation from the people of Myanmar, who continue to suffer under the military council’s violent oppression, killings, and arbitrary arrests. The military council’s ongoing human rights violations and brutal crackdown on civilians have made their participation in international events particularly controversial.
