Moscow Parade Seen as Symbol of Decline

(MOSCOW) – Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow took place under unusually tight security and on a far smaller scale than in previous years, as commentators and observers linked the reduced event to the continuing war against Ukraine and mounting pressure on the Kremlin.

Ukrainian commentator Anna, speaking from Ukraine in a video blog titled “Russia Shocked: Moscow’s Shortest Parade, War and Collapse”, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had joked about the event by issuing a mock “permission order” allowing Russia to hold the parade in Red Square following what she described as “humanitarian requests” from the White House.

According to the commentary, the order humorously specified the coordinates of Red Square and suggested Russians would be able to “feel relaxed” for the 45 minutes during which the parade was held. Observers noted that the event appeared significantly shorter and more restrained than traditional Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

The annual parade has historically been used by the Kremlin to display military strength and political influence, often featuring large formations of troops, heavy military equipment and foreign leaders attending ceremonies in Red Square.

This year, however, critics pointed to the absence of major military hardware and a much smaller international presence. Anna said many Russian commentators and bloggers described the event as “Putin’s last parade”, arguing that photographs from the ceremony showed Russian dictator Vladimir Putin appearing tired and exhausted.

She claimed many Russians expressed disappointment at the reduced display, particularly the lack of tanks and large troop formations. According to the commentary, some of the only foreign military personnel visible were from North Korea.

The video also stated that previous Victory Day celebrations regularly attracted leaders from Europe, North America and former Soviet republics. After Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, attendance from Western leaders declined sharply, although some leaders from countries allied or economically dependent on Moscow continued to attend.

This year’s parade reportedly drew only a limited number of foreign guests. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko attended alongside several representatives from Moscow aligned territories and a small number of leaders from former Soviet republics.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has maintained communication with Moscow despite criticism from other European Union members, was also mentioned in the commentary as ultimately not appearing prominently at the event.

The Kremlin imposed extensive security measures ahead of the parade. Internet disruptions and communication restrictions were reported in Moscow, St Petersburg and several other major Russian cities. Authorities also restricted travel in some districts of Moscow and cancelled local parades in other regions due to security concerns.

Anna argued that the reduced scale of the parade reflected heavy Russian military losses in Ukraine. She said many armoured vehicles and tanks that would normally appear in Red Square had instead been destroyed on the battlefield or targeted deep inside Russian territory by Ukrainian drone strikes against military infrastructure and arsenals.

The commentary contrasted Russia’s traditional Victory Day messaging with commemorations in Europe and North America marking the end of the Second World War. Anna said many countries had embraced the phrase “never again”, while accusing the Kremlin of promoting militaristic narratives around the war.

She also referred to reports and videos showing Russian forces using horses and donkeys for logistics support in some frontline areas, claiming this reflected growing equipment shortages within the Russian military.

According to the video, Ukraine deliberately avoided any military action targeting Red Square during the parade because of the presence of civilians and Second World War veterans. Anna stated that Ukraine sought to respect the rules of war and avoid actions that could harm civilians.

She also said a temporary ceasefire connected to the period around the parade had contributed to an exchange involving around 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war, which she described as an important humanitarian development.

The commentary claimed that public attitudes inside Russia had shifted as Ukrainian drone strikes increasingly reached Russian territory. Anna argued that support for the war had weakened among some Russians following repeated attacks and growing insecurity.

She further suggested that online reactions from Russian users joking that Zelenskyy was “the only president allowing anything in Russia” reflected growing frustration with restrictions and increasing state control inside the country.

The video concluded with claims that the Kremlin’s authority and geopolitical influence were weakening both domestically and internationally as the war continued into another year.