Kindergarten Kids In Russia Dress Up As Military Vehicles Adorned With The Letter Z
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Russian kids have been adorned with pro-military costumes ahead of the country's Victory Day parade.
One video on social media has emerged of a group of alleged kindergarteners wearing tank and fighter plane outfits accompanied by a teacher in army gear, smiling as she ushers the children along the footpath.
The Daily Mail reports that one child was seen dressed as a military tank featuring the ‘Z’ symbol, which is affiliated with supporters of the Kremlin and Russia's invasion in Ukraine.
The Victory Day parade will take place later today (May 9) and is one of Russia's most significant national events.
It commemorates the Russian soldiers who lost their lives during World War Two and the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany.
But it's also largely seen as a chance for Russia to flex its military muscles and show off to the world everything they have in their arsenal.
It acts as a big billboard sign that infers 'don't mess with us'.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to take the stage and declare some form of victory against Ukraine, according to political experts.
Political consultant and former speechwriter for Putin Abbas Gallyamov told BBC News: "Everyone is expecting something to happen [on 9 May], both the enemies of Putin and his supporters.
"These expectations created a vacuum that needs to be filled. If it's not, Putin will lose politically."
Gallyamov also said that the Russian President might even see Victory Day as a platform to offer Ukraine an ultimatum: to either come to the negotiating table or keep fighting.
He said: "The only way he can win now, because he'll definitely lose if it continues, is to produce the impression of an absolutely crazy guy.
“He wants the western public to get scared, western leaders to get scared and for them to start calling Zelenskyy and say, 'Enough now let's stop this. Go to the negotiating table and agree to at least some of the demands he makes. Because we're ready to help you but we're not ready to die because of you'."
However, professor of Russian history at the University of Miami Stephen Norris warned that Putin might instead announce even more brutal attacks on the neighbouring country and use the celebrations to leverage 'power'.
“Putin and his advisers certainly pay attention to historical anniversaries and like to use them to bolster their hold on power,” he said to Al Jazeera.
“Given how important Victory Day has been to Putin and Putinism, it’s hard to imagine that his government won’t try to use it for some purpose.
"It’s hard to see any sort of victory being declared. Instead, my fear is that Putin will use the holiday to announce a new offensive and new phase of the war.”
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Aliev Eldar.
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Politics, Vladimir Putin
