Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over his most pared-back Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square, after a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine took effect.
Russia’s annual May 9 parade commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Under Putin, it has come to typically symbolize the country’s military strength. Usually known for it’s dazzling display of heavy military equipment, this year looked very different, with no military hardware on show at all – the first time in nearly two decades.
As he has done in previous years, Putin made a direct connection between Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – the “special military operation,” as the Kremlin calls it, and the losses the Soviet Union incurred during World War II.
“The great feat of the victorious generation inspires the soldiers carrying out tasks of the special military operation today. They are standing up to an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc,” Putin said Saturday. “And yet, our heroes march forward.”
In a marked departure this year, Russian authorities previously announced there would be no display of heavy military hardware. Instead, a series of slick, pre-produced, pre-recorded videos that state media said were from the frontlines of Russia’s war was broadcast on screens in the Red Square and aired across state media.
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