Vladimir Putin praised Russian “unity” for what the Kremlin calls its special operation in Ukraine during a rare public speech at the national stadium in Moscow.
“The country has not seen such unity for a long time,” Putin said, addressing a large flag-waving crowd on Friday from a stage adorned with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president.” .
As Putin was finishing his speech, the broadcast was abruptly cut off and state television showed patriotic songs performed by popular Russian musician Oleg Gazmanov. Shortly thereafter, Putin’s speech, which lasted about five minutes, was replayed from the very beginning, when the Russian leader finished his speech and left the stage.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed the blackout on a “technical failure.” One concert goer told Reuters that Putin left the stage after his performance without any interruption.
The event officially marked the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, but many of the speeches aimed to rally the country around the current invasion of Ukraine. Moscow police said more than 200,000 people were in and around the Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the 2018 FIFA Men’s World Cup final.
Many were seen waving flags bearing the letter Z, which has evolved from a military marking to a prime symbol of public support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In his speech, Putin tried to justify his actions by repeating unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine was committing genocide in the Donbass. “It really was genocide. Stopping this was the purpose of the special operation,” Putin said, adding, contrary to evidence, that Ukrainian civilians cheered for Moscow’s invading troops.
The Russian leader also hailed the actions of the military fighting in Ukraine, paraphrasing a biblical saying. “There is no greater love than giving your soul for friends,” he said.
Ahead of the rally, Reuters and a number of Russian media outlets reported that civil servants had been ordered to attend. Russia has a long history of forcing public officials to attend pro-government rallies.