Putin attends scaled-back WW2 Victory Day parade as Ukraine war strains Russia

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday attended a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square, as the war in Ukraine continues to weigh heavily on Russia more than four years after the start of its full-scale invasion.

The annual May 9 event, marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, is Russia’s most significant patriotic holiday. It honours the estimated 27 million Soviet citizens killed during the war, including millions from Ukraine.

This year’s parade was noticeably reduced, with no tanks or heavy military hardware rolling through Red Square, a departure from past displays of Russia’s military strength.

Instead, military equipment including the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system, Peresvet laser weapon, S-500 air defence system, Su-57 fighter jets, drones and the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine were displayed on giant screens around Red Square and broadcast on state television.

Soldiers and sailors, including some who have served in Ukraine, marched across the square as Putin looked on from a podium near Lenin’s Mausoleum, seated alongside war veterans. North Korean troops, who reportedly fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, also took part in the march.

Fighter jets flew over the Kremlin during the ceremony, while Putin delivered an eight-minute address linking the World War Two victory to Russia’s current military campaign in Ukraine, which the Kremlin refers to as its “special military operation”.

“The great feat of the victorious generation inspires us today,” Putin said. “Our soldiers are fighting for the security of Russia and the future of our state against forces supported by the entire NATO bloc.”

He added that Russia would continue its military campaign, despite what he described as external pressure.

Ceasefire backdrop

The parade came after US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine from Saturday to Monday, which was reportedly supported by both Moscow and Kyiv. The two sides also agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.

“I’d like to see it stop… it’s the worst thing since World War Two in terms of life,” Trump told reporters in Washington, referring to the ongoing conflict. He also said he would like to see a “big extension” of the ceasefire.

There were no immediate reports of ceasefire violations from either side.

Security tightened in Moscow

Security in the Russian capital was significantly tightened, with armed soldiers deployed on vehicles and major roads leading into central Moscow blocked. Reuters images showed heightened military presence across the city, which has a population of around 22 million.

Russia had earlier warned that any attempt to disrupt the parade could trigger retaliatory missile strikes on Kyiv, prompting Moscow to advise foreign diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital if necessary.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a symbolic gesture, issued what he described as a tongue-in-cheek decree “allowing” Russia’s parade to proceed, saying Ukrainian forces would not target Red Square during the event.

War casts shadow over celebrations

The war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people, devastated large parts of Ukraine, and triggered the deepest rupture in Russia’s relations with the West since the Cold War.

The conflict has also placed increasing pressure on Russia’s economy, which analysts say is facing long-term strain due to sanctions, military spending and isolation from Western markets.

Despite the patriotic symbolism of Victory Day, this year’s muted celebrations reflected growing unease within Russia over the trajectory of the war and its wider consequences.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Western media reports suggesting internal instability or coup concerns, calling them “fabrications”. Russian officials have repeatedly rejected claims of divisions within the leadership.

Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, once seen as a key figure in Russia’s military leadership, also attended the parade alongside senior officials, underscoring continued unity within the Kremlin’s top ranks.