Moscow is set to mark Victory Day with a Red Square parade under tight security, as President Vladimir Putin prepares to speak at the annual event commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The parade, scheduled for Saturday, comes amid a U.S.-brokered three-day ceasefire that has eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities.
Security Measures and Parade Changes
Security was notably tight in Moscow, with authorities implementing additional measures to ensure safety. For the first time in nearly two decades, the parade will take place without tanks, missiles, and other heavy weapons, aside from a traditional flyover of combat jets. Officials cited the "current operational situation" and the threat of Ukrainian attacks as reasons for the sudden change in format. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that "additional security measures" have been taken.
Authorities also ordered restrictions on all mobile internet access and text messaging services in the Russian capital, citing the need to ensure public safety. The government has methodically tightened internet censorship and established increasingly stringent controls over online activities, leading to rare public expressions of discontent.
Ceasefire Announcement
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire running from Saturday through Monday, along with an exchange of prisoners. Trump declared that the break in fighting could be the "beginning of the end" of the war, which is now in its fifth year. Earlier ceasefires, including a unilateral ceasefire declared by Russia for Friday and Saturday and a truce announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to begin on May 6, failed to hold as both sides traded blame for continuing attacks.
Zelenskyy, who earlier this week suggested that Russian authorities "fear drones may buzz over Red Square" on May 9, issued a decree mockingly permitting Russia to hold its Victory Day celebrations on Saturday, declaring Red Square temporarily off-limits for Ukrainian strikes. Peskov dismissed the decree as a "silly joke," stating, "We don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of our Victory Day."
Russian Threats and International Response
Russian authorities warned that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday’s festivities, Russia will carry out a "massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv." The Russian Defense Ministry urged civilians and foreign diplomatic personnel to leave the Ukrainian capital promptly. The European Union stated that its diplomats would not leave Kyiv despite the threats.
Ukraine has developed drones capable of reaching targets over 1,000 kilometers deep into Russia, far beyond its capabilities before 2022. These long-range attacks have struck Russian energy facilities, manufacturing plants, and military depots. Meanwhile, Russia’s military has been making slow but steady gains along the more than 1,000-kilometer front line.
Victory Day as a Unifying Event
Putin has used Victory Day celebrations to encourage national pride and underline Russia’s position as a global power. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), an enormous sacrifice that remains a rare point of consensus in Russia’s divisive history under Communist rule. Victory Day parades on Red Square have featured a broad array of heavy weapons every year since 2008, but this year's scaled-back format reflects security concerns.
Smaller parades held elsewhere across the country have also been pared down or canceled for security reasons. Despite the tensions, several foreign leaders attended the festivities in Moscow, including Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, a European Union member, planned to meet with Putin and lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but stayed away from the Red Square parade.
