The BRICS TimesRussia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that military hardware tanks, drones, and armored vehicles will not roll through Red Square this May 9, citing ongoing battlefield demands from the Ukraine war. It marks the first such absence in nearly 20 years.
Russia Drops Military Vehicles From Victory Day Parade
Russia’s Defense Ministry made a surprising announcement on Tuesday this year’s Victory Day parade on May 9 will go ahead without any military hardware on display. That hasn’t happened in nearly two decades. The parade, held annually on Moscow’s iconic Red Square, traditionally serves as a loud, rolling showcase of Russia’s military muscle.
The ministry confirmed on Telegram that several military schools, cadet corps, and most strikingly the military hardware column will not take part. The reason given was the “current operational situation,” a phrase widely understood to mean Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Troops and Aircraft Will Still Take Center Stage
The parade won’t be empty far from it. Representatives from all branches of Russia’s Armed Forces are expected to march across Red Square. The ceremony will also feature video footage of soldiers “carrying out tasks in the special military operation zone,” the Kremlin’s official term for its war against Ukraine.
The skies above Moscow will still put on a show. Russia’s aerobatic display teams are set to fly over Red Square during the aviation segment. As a finale, Su-25 ground attack aircraft pilots will paint the Moscow sky in the red, white, and blue of the Russian flag.
A Sharp Contrast to Last Year’s Grand Display
Last year’s parade was a very different affair. More than two dozen world leaders watched from the stands including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Thousands of troops marched past, many of them fresh from combat in Ukraine. Rows of weapons rolled by, including next-generation tanks and drones.
This year, that kind of display is simply not possible. The war is pulling too many resources and personnel away from ceremonial duties.
Putin’s Most Powerful Political Symbol
World War II or the Great Patriotic War, as Russians call it sits at the very heart of President Vladimir Putin’s political identity. Over his 25-plus years in power, he has returned to this history again and again.
Putin has repeatedly used the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His government labels the government in Kyiv as “neo-Nazis” who must be removed from power.
Ukraine and its Western allies flatly reject that framing. They call it propaganda a cover story for what they describe as an illegal land grab. The war has killed tens of thousands of civilians and handed Russia control of large stretches of southern and eastern Ukraine.
