Vladimir Putin has used his annual Victory Day speech in Moscow, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, to justify his war in Ukraine and denounce Nato.

He was speaking as he oversaw a scaled-back parade on Red Square, held under heavy security, with fears of a Ukrainian attack and growing public concern in Russia over the war.

For the first time in years, no armoured vehicles or ballistic missiles featured in Moscow’s Victory Day parade. They were instead shown large TV screens.

The Russian president said he was fighting a “just” war and called Ukraine an “aggressive force” that is being “armed and supported by the whole bloc of Nato”.

His remarks come amid muted celebrations across Russia to mark the nation’s biggest national holiday.

Ahead of the celebrations Russia and Ukraine agreed to observe a three-day ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Steve Rosenberg in Moscow.

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Across Russia, a network of nationalist vigilantes is carrying out raids targeting migrants, the LGBT community and anyone they deem to have violated what Vladimir Putin has described as “traditional values”. Vigilante activities have become more prominent since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Mr Putin and the Kremlin have increasingly used nationalist rhetoric about the dangers of what they call “Western liberalism”.

Our investigations team, BBC Eye, has spent a year tracking the movements of the Russkaya Obshina nationalist group. In 2025, the Russian Orthodox Church – a powerful ally of the Russian state – recommended that all its bishops build partnerships with Russkaya Obshina. The BBC has also seen financial documents that suggest Russkaya Obshina receives funding from figures close to the Kremlin – though the group denies it.

Investigative journalist Christopher Giles tells us what he’s heard from current and former members of Russkaya Obshina, and the people caught up in their raids.

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00:00 Introduction
00:20 Tracking the vigilantes
01:41 Targeted by a raid
03:34 Online harassment
04:17 Rising pressure during the Ukraine war
05:11 Links to the Russian Orthodox Church
07:11 What former vigilantes say
07:46 What Russkaya Obshina says

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Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the price of the US’s war with Iran as tension grows over whether the current …

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Today, we look at a surprise move from Labour MP Catherine West. She’s called for cabinet ministers to challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership – threatening to do so herself if they don’t.

Laura and Paddy are joined by Henry to discuss who she is, why she’s doing it, and how dangerous it could be for the prime minister.

They also look ahead to next week as the prime minister prepares to make a speech tomorrow, and what we could hear at the state opening of UK Parliament by King Charles on Wednesday.

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