Putin denounces Nato at scaled back Victory Day parade

The Russian leader used his annual speech to justify his so-called special military operation in Ukraine.

On May 9, 2026, Russia observed Victory Day with a significantly scaled-down military parade in Moscow's Red Square, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany. For the first time in nearly two decades, no heavy weapons were displayed, reflecting security concerns and the ongoing demands of the Ukraine conflict, now in its fifth year. President Vladimir Putin used the occasion to rally national unity and express confidence in eventual victory over Ukraine, condemning NATO's support for Kyiv. North Korean troops joined the parade for the first time, recognizing Pyongyang’s support during recent Russian territorial defenses.

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As Russia puts on a show with no tanks, paring back a parade that has propped-up Moscow's propaganda efforts for decades, it now represents an existential threat for the nation – and returns as the European Union's (EU) yearly conundrum. Russia's Victory Day parade returns for its 35th iteration on Saturday, 9 May. But 12 months after 11,500 troops marched through Moscow's Red Square to a cacophony of trumpets blaring, fighter jets screaming and canons blasting, this year's iteration is expected to be significantly stripped of most of its pomp – and steeped in paranoia. Russia's defence ministry stated at the end of April no heavy military equipment will be displayed as part of the event 'due to current operational situation'. Many interpret this as anxieties of Ukrainian long-range drone attacks on the capital. Days after the announcement, a Ukrainian drone hit and blasted the façade of an upmarket high-rise in the capital 7-kilometres from Red Square, marking the third day of such attacks.

Over a quarter-century in power, President Vladimir Putin has used Russia’s Victory Day parade to show off its military might, accentuate his dominance, and deliver belligerent narratives on World War II and the current geopolitical landscape, often suggesting that Moscow is fighting off a threat from the West that mirrors that of Nazi Germany. Last May 9, marking 80 years since Nazi Germany’s defeat, Putin watched from a grandstand in front of Lenin’s Tomb as soldiers marched and gun-turreted military vehicles, truck-mounted missiles, and other heavy weapons rolled across Red Square. Even given the fact that Putin made scant mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in his 10-minute address in 2025, focusing on a long-ago war in which Moscow was a winner rather than an ongoing conflict in which it is suffering massive casualties while gaining little ground, this year seems certain to be different.

Vladimir Putin will preside over a scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square on May 9, with Russia's Defense Ministry confirming that no military hardware will be displayed, marking a sharp departure from one of the Kremlin's most prominent annual demonstrations of military power. The decision, announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense, comes as Russia faces sustained battlefield pressure in Ukraine and an expanding campaign of long-range drone strikes attributed to Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government. The parade, typically featuring tanks, missile systems and advanced weaponry, will instead be limited largely to marching troops and aerial displays.