Russia holds scaled-back Victory Day military parade

Russia Holds Annual Victory Day Parade in Moscow

President Vladimir Putin addressed Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on Wednesday, marking the country’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. The event took place in Red Square, with a military formation bearing the Russian flag.

The parade began at approximately 10am and featured a video presentation of Russian military equipment deployed to Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova. This year’s event was scaled back due to security concerns, with officials citing the “current operational situation” as the reason for the reduced format.

The parade did not include tanks, missiles, or other heavy weapons, aside from a traditional flyover of combat jets. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that additional security measures had been taken in response to the threat of Ukrainian attacks.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire running from Saturday through Monday, which could potentially mark the beginning of an end to the war. However, both sides have traded accusations of ceasefire violations since then.

Speaking at the parade, Putin stated that he believed Russia’s war on Ukraine was “coming to an end.” He also announced plans to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart in person once a lasting peace deal is agreed upon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by issuing a decree permitting Russia to hold its Victory Day celebrations on Saturday, declaring Red Square temporarily off-limits for Ukrainian strikes.

Russian authorities have warned that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the festivities, Russia would carry out a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv.”

Source: Al Jazeera