Overview

• Russian President Vladimir Putin presides over an elaborate Victory Day parade in Moscow, attended by over 20 foreign leaders, including China's Xi Jinping.
• The parade highlights Russia's reliance on its partnership with China, which has become an economic and military lifeline under Western sanctions.
• Ukraine has dismissed Russia's three-day truce as a sham, reporting hundreds of ceasefire violations and continued attacks on frontline positions.
• Security in Moscow has been heightened following Ukrainian drone strikes, with airspace closures, mobile internet disruptions, and bans on certain items at the event.
• Modern military equipment remains largely absent from the parade, as much of it is deployed on the Ukrainian front, reflecting Russia's significant battlefield losses.