Putin breaks tradition with unexpected gesture at victory parade
During the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Vladimir Putin surprised everyone with his unusual behaviour towards military commanders. When one of them saluted him, the Russian president pulled his hand away from his head.
What you need to know
- The Victory Day parade took place on 9th May in Red Square in Moscow, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
- Vladimir Putin personally greeted the military commanders, but his behaviour sparked controversy when he grabbed one of them by the hand.
- The Russian president also met with soldiers from North Korea, thanking them for their support in the war in Ukraine.
During the Victory Day parade, Vladimir Putin personally greeted the military commanders in Red Square in Moscow.
At one point, when a military officer was reporting, the president of Russia grabbed his hand, which he was saluting with, and pulled it away from his head. He then firmly shook the commander's hand and patted him on the shoulder.
Putin ignored one of the commanders
After the hand incident, Putin moved on to the next commander. When this officer reported, the Russian president ignored him and began examining the decorations of another soldier.
During the parade, Putin also met with soldiers from North Korea, whom he thanked for their assistance in the war in Ukraine. At one point, he hugged one of Kim Jong Un's army representatives.
