Russia's show of force during its annual Victory Day will look notably different this year. The Moscow Times reports that, for the first time in nearly two decades, Moscow's May 9 parade in Red Square will go ahead without tanks, missile systems, or other military hardware, according to a Russian Defense Ministry announcement on Tuesday. The ministry cited the "current operational situation" (i.e., its invasion of Ukraine) for excluding both armored columns and multiple military schools and cadet corps. The pared-back display will still feature personnel from all branches of the nation's armed forces, as well as video segments showing troops "carrying out tasks" in what the Kremlin calls the "special military operation" in Ukraine.
There will also be an aerial performance that includes Su-25 jets painting Moscow's sky in the colors of the Russian flag, the ministry noted. Victory Day, marking the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II, remains a cornerstone of President Vladimir Putin's rule and rhetoric. He has repeatedly framed the invasion of Ukraine as a continuation of that struggle, labeling Kyiv's leadership as "neo-Nazis"—a characterization rejected by Ukraine and Western governments, which describe the conflict as an unprovoked war of aggression aimed at seizing Ukrainian territory.
Holding the parade without all the military hardware "weakens the propaganda value of the event, particularly for domestic audiences, as it reduces one of the most visible symbols of Russian power and military prestige," Natia Seskuria, associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, tells the AP. The Guardian reports that one reason for scrubbing the parade of military equipment is concern of a possible long-range attack by Ukrainian drones.
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