Russia's President Vladimir Putin attempted to justify his unprecedented invasion of Ukraine on "Victory Day" — one of the most important events on the country's national calendar.
The West was "preparing for the invasion of our land, including Crimea," Putin said without providing evidence, according to a Reuters translation. He added that NATO was creating threats at Russia's borders.
Russia had amassed some 190,000 troops on its borders with Ukraine in the weeks before its invasion. There was little evidence of military aggression from Ukraine toward Russia, and Moscow's claims to the contrary were seen by many as a pretext for justifying the invasion.
Meanwhile, dozens are feared dead after a school in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine was hit by Russian shelling. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 60 people died in the attack.