Russia Scales Back Victory Day Parade, Pulls Military Hardware From Red Square

Overview

• Russia’s Defense Ministry said this year’s May 9 Victory Day event in Moscow will not include an armored column or cadet contingents, citing the current operational situation.
• The Kremlin said it reduced the scale of the parade because of what it called the risk of Ukrainian terrorist activity.
• Bloomberg reported that vehicles and missile systems usually shown are in use in the war against Ukraine, which has fueled questions about available equipment.
• Organizers plan an air segment with aerobatic teams, Su-25 jets trailing the national colors, and video of troops carrying out missions.
• Last year’s 80th‑anniversary parade featured more than 11,500 personnel and about 180 vehicles with foreign leaders attending, highlighting how this year’s cutback reflects the strain of a fifth year of war and recent deeper Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.