Zelensky spoke via a prerecorded video, filmed as he walked between antitank barriers in Kyiv. He recounted Ukraine’s role fighting Nazi invaders who swept across the western Soviet Union, which included Ukriane. Zelensky framed his celebration of that history as a direct challenge to the Kremlin’s false claim that neo-Nazis are running his country now.

“Today we celebrate the Day of Victory over Nazism. And we will not give anyone a single piece of our history,” Zelensky said. “Our enemy dreamed that we would refuse to celebrate May 9 and the victory over Nazism, so that that word ‘denazification’ gets a chance. Millions of Ukrainians fought Nazism.”…

“The one who is repeating the horrific crimes of Hitler’s regime today — following Nazi philosophy, copying everything he did — he is doomed,” he said.

“We won then. We will win now,” Zelensky said. “Very soon, there will be two Victory Days in Ukraine.”