Putin throws military parade to declare victory over virus

After months of coronavirus-related setbacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin will preside Wednesday over a long-awaited military blowout to celebrate 75 years since Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II. The parade will kick off a weeklong nationwide vote on a series of proposed constitutional amendments that, among other things, would reset presidential term limits — allowing Putin, 67, if he so desires, to rule Russia until 2036. In a triumphant address on the eve of the parade, Putin congratulated the nation on "the dignity with which you, the citizens of Russia, have passed through the most dangerous phase of the epidemic."