Russia holds scaled-down Victory Day military parade

Russia Launches Annual Victory Day Parade Amid Security Concerns

Moscow, Russia - The annual Victory Day military parade began at 10am local time in Red Square, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. The event, scaled back this year due to security concerns, featured a military formation bearing the Russian flag.

President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to address the occasion, which is considered a significant secular holiday for Russia. This year’s parade will take place without tanks, missiles, and other heavy weapons, except for a traditional flyover of combat jets. Officials cited “current operational situation” as the reason for the change in format, stating that there is a 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. 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.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed Zelenskyy’s decree as a “silly joke.” Russian authorities warned that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the festivities, Russia will carry out a “massive missile strike” on Kyiv. The parade is also observed in other former Soviet states such as Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The event marks an important date in Russia’s history, commemorating the loss of 27 million people during World War II.

Source: Al Jazeera