Poland condemns Putin for claiming Russia's sole victory over Nazism

He made this statement before the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Poland, reported Radio Free Europe.

"It is very important to remember that Ukraine was fully occupied during World War II, while only a very small part of Russia was occupied. Millions of Ukrainians not only suffered from Nazi persecution but also fought in the Red Army. It is outrageous for Vladimir Putin to attribute the victory over Nazi Germany solely to Russia. Even worse is using the rhetoric of those days to attack Ukraine, which, unlike Russia, is a democracy," said the diplomat.

It is worth noting that the victory in World War II was achieved by the countries united in the Anti-Hitler Coalition—primarily the USSR, the USA, the UK, later joined by France, which had been occupied, and China, which had been fighting against Japan since 1937. 

They fought against the Axis powers—Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. Key battles on the Eastern Front, where the Soviet Union inflicted serious defeats on the Nazis, as well as massive military operations by the Allies in Europe and the Pacific, were decisive. Ultimately, Germany, and later Japan, capitulated.

• In February 2024, during an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Putin accused the Poles of starting World War II.