On Saturday, Russia celebrated its 70th Victory Day, marking Nazi Germany's surrender at the end of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a parade in Moscow full of Russian military might, including ICBMs and 16,000 marching soldiers. Missing? The leaders of the other Allied powers that helped defeat the Nazis — Britain, France, and the U.S. sent only minor dignitaries.
The leaders of India and China, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and several other heads of state were at the parade, but tensions over Russia's aggression in Ukraine kept many world leaders away. On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel laid a wreath at a Moscow war memorial with Putin, but Russians feel snubbed.
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