Russia hosted a scaled-down Victory Day celebration in Moscow’s Red Square on Friday, as a temporary ceasefire in the war with Ukraine took hold amid heightened security risks and fears of future assaults.
The annual parade commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II was far smaller than in past years, with no tanks, missiles or other major military hardware on display for the first time in almost two decades. Russian officials said the decision was linked to the “current operational situation” surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to commend Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying Russia was protecting a “just cause” and would ultimately win.
Moscow has been placed under heavy security ahead of the event, with internet outages, airport restrictions and heightened military activity reported across the city amid fears of possible Ukrainian drone strikes.
The parade was held as part of a temporary truce mediated with the help of the United States, under which Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day halt to hostilities and the exchange of prisoners. But each side has accused the other of breaching past cease-fires before the present one took effect.
For the first time, North Korean troops took part in the parade, highlighting strengthening military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang after claims that North Korean forces helped Russia defend parts of the Kursk region.
Analysts say this year’s smaller size Victory Day festivities are a sign of the strain of the protracted war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, as Russia continues to endure military, economic and diplomatic constraints.
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