Russia will hold its annual Victory Day parade on May 9 without any display of military hardware, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Wednesday. This marks the first time in nearly two decades that tanks, missiles, and other heavy weaponry will be absent from the Red Square celebrations.
The ministry stated that the decision to exclude the military equipment column and certain cadets is due to the "current operational situation." This announcement comes as the Kremlin faces increasing vulnerability to Ukrainian drone strikes deep within Russian territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attributed the change to what he called "terrorist activity" by Ukraine. According to reports from Reddit's r/worldnews, the absence of hardware also reflects Russia's struggles to push through Ukrainian defensive fortifications in eastern Ukraine and difficulties in replenishing troop numbers.
Ongoing strikes and domestic vulnerabilities
The scaled-back parade follows a wave of recent attacks across several Russian regions. In a report by Al Jazeera, Ukrainian officials noted that Russian strikes across Ukraine have killed at least three people and injured 17 during a period of stalled US-led peace talks.
In the Donetsk region, head of military administration Vadym Filashkin reported that 19 Russian attacks over a 24-hour period damaged dozens of houses, apartment buildings, and infrastructure. Interfax reported that fighting in the region forced the evacuation of 867 people, including 34 children.
In the Sumy region, a drone attack on residential buildings resulted in the death of a 60-year-old resident due to carbon monoxide poisoning, according to regional official Oleh Hryhorov. Meanwhile, in Odesa, overnight strikes hit a hospital, damaging surgical and cardiological departments, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.
Ukraine has also intensified its own strikes against Russian infrastructure to disrupt war funding. A Ukrainian drone attack recently hit an industrial facility in Perm Krai, located 1,500 kilometers into eastern Russia near the Ural Mountains, according to Regional Governor Makhonin.
A shift in tradition
The May 9 parade celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, a holiday the Kremlin uses to showcase military strength. According to Reddit's r/worldnews, the parade has featured military equipment every year since 2008.
While the heavy equipment will be absent, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the parade will still feature servicemen from military educational institutions and a traditional aircraft flyover. Despite the reduced scale, the event remains a central pillar of Russian national identity, commemorating the sacrifice of the 27 million Soviet citizens lost during the Great Patriotic War.
Recent drone strikes have been reported reaching as far as the Baltic port of Ust-Luga and the Samara region near the border with Kazakhstan, as noted by r/worldnews. Peskov told reporters that "all measures are being taken to minimize the danger" regarding the upcoming celebrations.
