Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Flip through the Kremlin’s Facebook (file photo)
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not going well. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initial goals included capturing Kyiv within days and replacing the Ukrainian government with a pro-Russian regime, but none of these goals have been achieved. The war has been going on for more than a month, according to According to the latest news from the “Kyiv Independent”, the Russian military has been ordered to end the war by May 9, which is Russia’s “Victory Day”.
Russia’s “special military operation” against Ukraine on February 24 attracted worldwide attention, but the result was not the quick victory over Ukraine that Putin expected. The Kyiv Independent newspaper reported that intelligence from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed that Russian troops had been ordered to end the war by May 9.
It is understood that May 9 is Russia’s “Victory Day”. On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany formally signed a surrender document to the Soviet Union, announcing its unconditional surrender in World War II. When the surrender document came into effect, Central European Time was 5 May 8, while Moscow time is May 9. After Putin came to power, in order to unite national pride, he also actively promoted the development of Victory Day and related commemorative activities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a speech to the emergency NATO summit and the G7 meeting via videoconference on the 24th. He accused Russia of using phosphorous bombs that cause severe burns, indiscriminately targeting civilians and possibly resorting to “full use” of chemical weapons in Ukraine.