Russia holds war parades amid crisis

Russia has held a huge parade to mark 69 years since the Soviets defeated the Nazis, amid a surge of patriotism over the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin said it was a day when an "overwhelming force of patriotism triumphs", and vowed to defend the interests of the motherland. Unconfirmed reports say Mr Putin will visit a parade in Crimea later. Festivities in Ukraine will be muted amid fears of provoking further violence in the south and east. Moscow denies fomenting pro-Russian separatist unrest in Ukraine. Mr Putin did not mention Ukraine in his speech, instead stressing how the "iron will of the Soviet people" had saved Europe from slavery. He told the crowd that 9 May, known as Victory Day in Russia, was a "day of grief and eternal memory". "It is a holiday when an overwhelming force of patriotism triumphs, when all of us feel particularly acutely what it means to be loyal to the motherland and how important it is to defend its interests," he said, according to BBC.