“That’s not true, it’s nonsense,” the official replied when asked if the government would announce said mobilization on May 9th, day of the celebration of the triumph of the Great Patriotic War.

Peskov added that there is no chance that the head of state will proclaim the start of a war with Ukraine at the commemoration next Monday.

The spokesman’s statements respond to the publication made on Wednesday by the CNN news network reporting that Putin “could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9th, which would allow the total mobilization of the Russian Reserve Forces”.

Every year, Russia and most of the former Soviet socialist republics celebrate on May 9th the triumph of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany during the Great Patriotic War, which covers a period of World War II between June 22nd, 1941 and May 9th, 1945.

On the occasion of the celebration of the 77th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War, 11,000 military personnel will participate in this year’s Victory Parade, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on Wednesday.

Also, Shoigu revealed that the military parades will take place next Monday in 23 cities and will include 65,000 people, some 2,400 vehicles, and more than 460 aircraft.

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