Russia Holds Most Scaled-Back Victory Parade in Years
Putin used the shortened parade to rally support for the war in Ukraine as Moscow tightened security and dropped heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades.
- On Saturday, May 9, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square, featuring no heavy military hardware for the first time in nearly two decades.
- Officials cited the "current operational situation" and threats of Ukrainian drone attacks as reasons for removing tanks and missiles from the parade, citing security concerns.
- Mobile internet restrictions affected at least 21 regions during celebrations, while North Korean troops participated for the first time, demonstrating support for Moscow's Kursk region operations.
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine from Saturday through Monday, including a prisoner exchange described as potentially the "beginning of the end" of the war.
- Putin declared that Russian soldiers "face an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire bloc of NATO" and described his war goals as "just," using the parade to justify continued operations in Ukraine.
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After a historically scaled-down military parade in Moscow, Vladimir Putin says the war in Ukraine may be close to an end. He does so without any promise of a Russian victory. All indications are that Putin can no longer handle the pressure. Now it's a matter of saving himself from remaining in power.
Moscow would have limited its demonstration of force for fear of possible Ukrainian strikes.
Less-muscular victory day parade shows Putin’s growing vulnerability | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cultivated the annual Victory Day parade commemorating the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany into a cornerstone of Russian patriotic ritual. Tanks and nuclear launchers roll across Red Square in a showcase of military prowess and righteous pride that the Kremlin has used to justify the country’s great-power posture toward the West.
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