As Russia rallies the troops to mark Victory Day, it’s using the past to try to justify its war on Ukraine

When Russia celebrated the 60th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany with a parade of patriotism and pageantry in 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush was sitting beside Russian President Vladimir Putin along with the leaders of France and Germany. It was the first time a U.S. president was at the Moscow event to honour the 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians killed along the brutal eastern front in the Second World War. Back then, it was framed as proof of Russia’s international clout and its place among the world’s great powers. This year, most leaders from Western nations…