Speaking during celebrations remembering the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, Putin praised Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and linked their mission to the sacrifices made by Soviet troops during the war against fascism.

Addressing military officers, foreign guests and thousands of soldiers gathered in Moscow, Putin said the “generation of victors” continues to inspire Russian forces taking part in what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

He declared that Russian soldiers were continuing the historic fight against fascism and insisted that victory would remain on Russia’s side.

“Victory has always been and will always be ours,” Putin told the crowd as military vehicles rolled through Red Square under tight security.

The Russian leader also highlighted the country’s growing military strength, saying Russian scientists and engineers are developing advanced weapons systems while increasing defense production using lessons learned from the battlefield in Ukraine.

This year’s Victory Day parade took place under heightened security following fears of possible Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow during the celebrations.

Several leaders from allied nations attended the event, including the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Members of the North Korean military were also seen participating in the parade alongside Russian servicemen, military cadets and troops from different branches of the armed forces.

Ahead of the commemorations, Moscow proposed a temporary two-day ceasefire on May 8 and 9 and warned Ukraine against disrupting the celebrations. Ukraine later announced its own unilateral ceasefire beginning at midnight Tuesday.

Despite the announcements, both Russia and Ukraine later accused each other of violating the separate ceasefire agreements, showing how difficult efforts to reduce fighting remain as the war continues into its fifth year.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 prisoners from each side.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the development as a possible “beginning of the end” of the long-running conflict.

The latest statements come at a time when fighting on the battlefield remains intense, while diplomatic efforts to end the war continue to face major challenges.