moscow —
Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over the simplest Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square after a three-day ceasefire took effect between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia’s annual May 9 parade commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Germany in World War II. Under President Putin, it has come to typically symbolize the country’s military power. Usually known for its dazzling display of heavy military equipment, this year’s event was quite different, with no military hardware on display for the first time in almost 20 years.
As in previous years, Putin directly linked Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine (what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation”) to the losses suffered by the Soviet Union during World War II.
“The great achievements of the Victorious Generation are today an inspiration for soldiers performing special military operations missions. They are confronting aggressive forces armed and supported by the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) bloc,” Putin said on Saturday. “Still, our heroes press on.”
This year will be very different from previous years, with Russian authorities previously announcing that there would be no display of heavy military equipment. Instead, a slick, pre-produced and pre-recorded video from the front lines of what Russia calls a “special military operation” was shown on screens in Red Square and also on state media.
The parade took place after the Ukrainian government stepped up attacks deep inside Russian territory, particularly against oil refineries, as the Kremlin accused the Kremlin of continuing attacks on Kiev and surrounding areas, abandoning traditional displays of force in support of security.
On Friday, the eve of the parade, US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire from May 9 to 11 that included a cessation of fighting and a large-scale prisoner exchange, after Ukraine and Russia accused each other of violating a previously announced unilateral ceasefire ahead of Victory Day celebrations. The news was confirmed by both the Kremlin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, with the latter saying that the prisoner exchange would take place in a “1,000-for-1,000 format.”
During the parade, fighter jets flew over the Kremlin and soldiers marched across Red Square in front of Lenin’s Mausoleum. Most international news organizations had to rely on footage from Russian state media to cover the event.
Several international journalists, including CNN, who had been allowed to take part in the parade, were told by the Kremlin on Thursday that they could no longer participate. CNN was only informed that the “host broadcaster” would be present at this year’s celebrations due to the scaled-down parade format.
According to state media RIA Novosti, four parade troops participated in the parade, including North Korea. State media added that more than 1,000 soldiers from “special military operations” took part in the parade.
During World War II, approximately 27 million people died in the Soviet Union, including millions from Ukraine. President Putin has repeatedly called Russia’s war in Ukraine a continuation of what Russians call the Great Patriotic War.
That connection, which some may find offensive, emerged during the parade. According to state media, to Putin’s left was Leonid Ryzhov, who participated in Russia’s Special Military Operations and was awarded the title of Hero of Russia in 2022, and to his right was Svet Turnov, a World War II veteran.
The truncated parade comes amid growing concerns in Russia about a slowing economy and tightening internet regulations that are disrupting daily life, which Putin said was necessary for public safety.
One of Russia’s largest telecom operators warned Moscow residents on Friday that there may be restrictions on mobile internet and text messaging around the capital “to ensure safety during festive events,” according to a message seen by CNN.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his son Nikolai Lukashenko, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the parade in Moscow.
