Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Crimea for the first time since annexing the region from the Ukraine in March.
USA Today reported that on Friday, in Sevastopol, Putin celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. The Russian leader watched a parade of aircraft and ships and thanked the armed services for their role in World War II.
“It’s a day when we all especially keenly feel what it means to be faithful to the motherland and how important it is to be able to defend its interests,” he said. “It’s a holiday when the all-triumphant power of patriotism celebrates victory.”
Bloomberg News noted that the Crimean peninsula is the home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
On Wednesday, Putin said that he was pulling back Russian troops from Ukraine’s border, however, officials say there is still no sign that he has done so.
About 150 military vehicles and 70 aircraft took part in the Victory Day show. The event gives Russia a chance to show off its military hardware while remembering the victims of the war.