Russia's Defense Ministry said the Victory Day parade on Red Square -- an annual Kremlin spectacle celebrating the Soviet role in World War II and Moscow's military today -- will be drastically scaled back this year, with no military vehicles or heavy weaponry on display for the first time in almost two decades.
A day after the ministry confirmed late on April 28 persistent rumors that this year's May 9 parade would be much more low-key, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman suggested the main reason was Ukrainian "terrorist activity," clearly a reference to drone attacks Kyiv has launched as it battles against Russia's full-scale invasion.
"Against the backdrop of this terrorist threat, of course all measures to minimize danger are being taken," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The Defense Ministry statement said the parade would include soldiers and other personnel marching. But no cadets from Russia's most prestigious military academies would be participating, it said, and no "column of military equipment" -- a reference to a display that in past years frequently featured tanks, armored vehicles, ICBMs, and more.
The annual event held just outside the Kremlin's walls has traditionally served as a celebration of Russia's history marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, with veterans given prominent places of honor.
The last time there were no military vehicles all on parade was 2007, during Dmitry Medvedev's presidency. In 2023, the parade was also lower-key with just a few dozen vehicles, featuring missile launchers and armored infantry vehicles, and a column headed by a single World War II-era tank.
Over Putin's quarter-century in power, however, the Kremlin has also used the parade to showcase military hardware with hundreds of tanks, vehicles, aircraft, and missile launchers as a demonstration to the outside world.
Since the 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine, the parade has also been reminder of the Russian war effort there, with little mention of the extraordinary casualties Russia has suffered.
Over the past year, Ukraine has stepped up its drone campaign, targeting Russian energy infrastructure, air force bases, and other targets. Moscow has scrambled to keep up in shooting down the drones.
Before Peskov spoke, some observers had speculated the move to scale dopwn the parade was prompted by fears of a Ukrainian drone attack. In 2023, Ukraine flew a drone into a building inside the Kremlin compound, surprising military commanders.
"Ukraine's ability to strike deep into Russian territory has indeed grown in recent years," said Kirill Martynov, the editor in chief of Novaya Gazeta Europe, speaking before the Defense Ministry announcement. "And generally speaking, a breach of air defense during this parade, with all the distinguished guests present, is absolutely a very real threat."
He also noted that Russian society is increasingly tired of the war, as well as the Kremlin's handling of the economy, which is increasingly under strain, and the draconian shutdowns of the Internet, which authorities have said are aimedat reducing the threat of Ukrainain drone attacks.
"No one understands when the war will end or under what circumstances. More and more people, even among those who supported the war, are feeling some disappointment about it," he told Current Time.
