China military parade as it happened: Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews poses for photo with Xi Jinping, Putin and Kim Jong-un in Victory Day parade as Beijing flexes new weapons

Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews has joined a “family photo” of country leaders before China’s military parade, that includes Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted for alleged war crimes, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Andrews was earlier filmed shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the red carpet as he arrived for the parade.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for his alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the war triggered by Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour.

The court, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, relies on other countries to arrest suspects and has a spotty history of co-operation.

Putin knows that and has travelled overseas since the warrant was issued, including to Anchorage, Alaska and ICC member state Mongolia, which ignored it. China, North Korea and the US are not ICC members.

with AP

After skipping China’s military parade today, former NSW premier and foreign affairs minister Bob Carr is meeting with dignitaries on the sidelines of the military parade in Beijing, as part of commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II.

Carr has just sent our chief political correspondent, Paul Sakkal, a photograph of himself at the sideline event in Beijing, alongside former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama. Carr said he has been renewing his friendship with the former leader.

The military parade has been largely shunned by Western leaders, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – pariahs in the West due to the Ukraine war and Kim’s nuclear ambitions – the guests of honour.

Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews, however, chose to attend the parade and be part of a “family photo” of nation leaders at the parade, including Putin and Kim.

with Reuters

Former premier Daniel Andrews has posed in a group photo with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a parade in Beijing to commemorate the end of World War II, after shaking hands with China’s leader Xi Jinping at the ceremony’s red carpet, our reporters Nick Newling and Paul Sakkal write from Canberra.

Held to mark 80 years since Japan surrendered, the parade featured a show of military strength that former NSW premier Bob Carr, who is in the country for the broader commemorations, decided to skip and called “Soviet-style”.

Both Andrews and Carr came under heavy scrutiny for their planned attendance from both sides of the Australian political spectrum and were described as “pawns” of the Chinese regime by Coalition MPs.

Andrews stood in the back row of an official image of the event that included numerous country leaders, just metres behind Kim. Earlier in the day, he was filmed shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the red carpet entrance to the event.

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Ukraine’s air defence units are engaged in repelling a Russian air attack on Kyiv, the city’s military administration said.

“Air defence is operating in Kyiv! Stay in shelters until the all-clear is given!” Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Earlier, as Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the Chinese military parade in Beijing, all of Ukraine was placed under air raid alerts following Ukrainian Air Force warnings of incoming Russian missile and drone attacks.

Reuters

Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews has joined a “family photo” of country leaders before China’s military parade, that includes Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted for alleged war crimes, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Andrews was earlier filmed shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the red carpet as he arrived for the parade.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for his alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the war triggered by Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour.

The court, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, relies on other countries to arrest suspects and has a spotty history of co-operation.

Putin knows that and has travelled overseas since the warrant was issued, including to Anchorage, Alaska and ICC member state Mongolia, which ignored it. China, North Korea and the US are not ICC members.

with AP