Putin ‘mirroring fascism’

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace yesterday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "mirroring fascism", as the country held an annual Victory Day parade on Moscow's Red Square.

Wallace, himself a former army officer, said in a speech that Putin's bemedalled generals should face court martial for their handling of the war in Ukraine.

He spoke after Putin defended Russia's offensive in Ukraine in an address to ranks of troops on Red Square for the May 9 holiday celebrating Soviet victory in World War II.

Wallace said in an address at the National Army Museum in London that "through the invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle, his generals, are now mirroring fascism and tyranny 77 years ago".

He accused them of "repeating the errors of the last century's totalitarian regimes".

"For them, and for Putin, there can be no Victory Day, only dishonour and surely defeat in Ukraine," he said.

Putin has justified Russia's military actions by saying they are carrying out "denazification" of the neighbouring country.

Wallace said he wanted to "call out the absurdity of Russian generals resplendent in their manicured parade uniforms, weighed down by the gold braid and glistening medals".

"Their top brass have failed their own rank-and-file to the extent that they should face court martial," he said.