Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken center stage at Russia’s Victory Day parade on Friday, surrounding himself by friendly world leaders in a highly choreographed show designed to show the Western world that Russia is far from isolated.

Putin’s Victory Day speech on Red Square was one of the shortest in years, maybe ever. It was heavy on the usual tropes: the nobility of the Soviet sacrifice in helping to defeat Nazi Germany. But light on a more current conflict that is transforming Russian society: His war on Ukraine.