His most beloved crooner sang a nationalistic ballad with an appeal to Russians: “The Motherland is calling.
Don’t let her down.”His favorite band belted out a moody song about wartime sacrifice.
And then he took the stage, under a banner celebrating the 10th anniversary of Crimea’s seizure from Ukraine, to remind thousands of Russians gathered on Red Square that his fight to add territory to Russia wasn’t over.
President Vladimir V. Putin, a day after declaring victory in a performative election, signaled on Monday that the war against Ukraine would continue to dominate his rule and called for unity in bringing the people of eastern Ukraine “back to their home family.”“We will move on together, hand in hand,” Mr. Putin told the crowd, boasting of a restored railroad line that he said would soon connect to Crimea through territory taken from Ukraine.
“And this is precisely what really makes us stronger — not words, but deeds.”
Persons:
Don’t, ”, Vladimir V, Putin, Mr
Locations:
Ukraine, Russia, Crimea