Russia Ukraine Conflict : Putin can officially declare war on Ukraine on May 9

Russian President Vladimir Putin may formally declare war on Ukraine on May 9. US and Western officials believe it is a move that will enable Moscow's reserve forces to fully mobilize as invasion efforts falter. According to a CNN report, May 9 is known as 'Victory Day' in Russia. The day commemorates the country's defeat by the Nazis in 1945.

Western officials have long assumed that Putin would take advantage of the symbolic significance and propaganda value of that day to announce a military achievement in Ukraine, a major escalation of hostilities, or both. Western officials have long assumed that Putin would take advantage of the symbolic significance and propaganda value of that day to announce a military achievement in Ukraine or a major escalation in hostilities, or both.

Putin has insisted on referring to the months-long conflict as a 'special military operation'. Words like aggression and war are effectively banned from the Russian side. Britain's Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told LBC radio last week that I think he will try to withdraw from his 'special operation'. Putin is now turning the pitch of war.

Putin has always characterised his invasion of Ukraine as a war with a Jewish president, which has been disregarded with the aid of using historians and political observers alike as a campaign of 'denial'. Wallace stated I would not be surprised. I don't have any concept about this. He might be going to announce in this May Day that we're now at conflict with the Nazis of the world and we want to mobilize the Russian people in a massive way.