Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the omission of the Soviet Union's role in liberating Nazi German death camps like Auschwitz. He expressed disappointment at surviving family members of Soviet troops not being invited to liberation anniversaries. Putin called this exclusion "a strange, shameful thing to do" and emphasized the importance of honoring those involved in the liberation efforts.
The commemoration event in Poland, attended by various global leaders, did not extend an invitation to Russia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Putin highlighted that even if aging Soviet soldiers couldn't attend, their families should have been included to mark the significance of the liberation anniversary.
During 1944 and 1945, Soviet forces liberated camps including Majdanek, Auschwitz, and others, where millions, mostly Jews, perished in terrible conditions. Putin underscored the sacrifices made by Soviet troops and denounced the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany, which led to the systematic murder of millions of people, including six million Jews.
The text also mentions that the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Putin's arrest on war crime charges, a claim that Russia vehemently denies, attributing it to a campaign to tarnish Moscow's reputation.