The Russian leader evoked Soviet heroism in World War Two in his speech earlier. He said that defending the state when its fate hung in the balance had "always been sacred", and that troops in Ukraine today were fighting for Russia's security.
He said troops and volunteers in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region were "fighting for the motherland, its future" and he accused the West of preparing for an "invasion of our land".
It was no surprise to hear linking the current war in Ukraine with World War Two, glorifying the Soviet past. He puts Russia into this victim role. This must be also in order to justify and make some sense of this war.
He implied Russia was at war with Nato as well as Ukraine. He called Nato "an obvious threat" to Russia and said his "special military operation" had been necessary and the "right decision".