Zelensky dubbed 'Judas' after substituting Victory Day with Europe Day

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "new incarnation of Judas in the 21st century" in a post via her Telegram channel, after the announcement that Zelensky has canceled "Victory Day" on May 9th, in exchange for a "Europe Day" celebration.

Zakharova's post read:

"What could be worse than an enemy? A traitor. This is Zelensky. A new incarnation of Judas in the 21st century," adding "By cancelling Victory Day on 9 May, he betrayed his ancestors once and for all, those who fought in the Red Army, those who suffered and were tortured in concentration camps, and those who worked in the rear for the Victory. One for all."

Earlier, the European Union's Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would be visiting Kiev, on Tuesday, May 9, to mark Europe Day alongside the Ukrainian President.

Europe Day has traditionally been celebrated on May 9 as the bloc marks "peace and unity."

In turn, Zelensky said Ukraine will be celebrating the day "together with all of free Europe." 

Zakharova considered Zelensky, through his decision, to be "an accomplice to the Nazis 80 years later."

Putin on V-Day: Victory will be ours just like in 1945

Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated on the 77th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War the leaders and the people of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Donetsk People's Republic, and Lugansk People's Republic, as well as the peoples of Georgia and Ukraine, the Kremlin announced.

"In his congratulations, the President of Russia particularly emphasizes that, on this day, we pay our tribute of appreciation and respect to the warriors and home front workers, who crushed Nazism at a price of countless casualties and hardships," the statement said.

He stressed in his congratulations that "it is a common duty today to prevent a restoration of Nazism that brought so much suffering to the people of various states."

He also underscored the necessity of preserving and handing over to the upcoming generations the truth about what took place during the war, in addition to "our common spiritual values and tradition of fraternal friendship."

Addressing the leaders of foreign states, President Putin delivered words of gratitude to the veterans, wishing them good health, welfare, and longevity, according to the Kremlin.

In his congratulation telegrams for the leader of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, the Kremlin said, Putin noted that the Russian servicemen, alongside their counterparts from the DPR and the LPR, "just like their ancestors, are fighting together to liberate their soil from the Nazi filth," and expressed his certainty that "victory will be ours just like in 1945."

The Russian president further underscored in his address to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, as the fight against the Nazis is called in Russia, that "a revanche of ideological successors of those defeated during the Great Patriotic War is unacceptable."

Putin attributed the victory achieved 77 years ago against the Nazis to the bravery and heroism of front fighters and partisans' resilience and dedication of home front workers. He stressed that the far-right ideology "sought to enslave Europe, and which brought pain and suffering to tens of millions of people."

"The countless casualties, sustained in the name of our common Victory, have become essential for our life and freedom. This memory must not be left in oblivion," he underscored, adding that, unfortunately, Nazism today "again raises its head and seeks to impose its barbaric, inhuman order."

At the conclusion of his telegram, Putin congratulated Ukrainian veterans and citizens of Ukraine on Victory Day, calling it "a common great celebration".

Read more: Putin to give Victory Day speech as usual despite UAV attack: Kremlin