Ukraine condemns participation of Central Asian and Caucasian leaders in Moscow military parade

On May 9, 2023, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the participation of the Armenian Prime Minister and the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in an event held in Moscow's Red Square. During the event, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted by international justice for committing war crimes, justified the killing of Ukrainians, destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages, kidnapping of Ukrainian children, and repression against residents of occupied Ukrainian territories. On the night before the meeting, Russia launched 25 missiles against Ukraine, including 15 targeted at Kyiv, causing further deaths and destruction in Ukrainian lands. The attendees were shown Russian military equipment, which has been participating in Russia's unprovoked aggressive war against Ukraine for the past decade. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sees the participation of the leaders of the aforementioned foreign states in a public event alongside a war criminal who is proud of instigating a war in Europe on a scale unknown since World War II as an immoral and unfriendly act towards Ukraine, showing contempt for the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for their survival and freedom. The nations of Central Asia and the Caucasus made invaluable contributions to the victory over Nazism 78 years ago. They do not deserve to be used by the Kremlin now to participate in a sham act that has nothing to do with the heroism of the victors over Nazism, the Ministry added.