Putin's parade plans face disruption amid Ukrainian resistance
Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire in Ukraine on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by saying it was "another attempt at manipulation." Many indications suggest that on May 9, Ukrainians may disrupt the celebration, which has served the Kremlin for years as a show of strength. This year, Russia intends to celebrate the anniversary with particular grandeur.
The ceasefire proposed by Moscow would be in effect from midnight on May 7 to midnight on May 10 (Eastern Time). Putin cited humanitarian reasons, which, in the context of the ongoing war for over three years and Russian actions in Ukraine, sounds not only incredible but downright cynical.
Zelensky criticized the proposed ceasefire delay, calling it another act of manipulation. He questioned why global efforts to halt fighting should be timed around May 7 simply to provide Putin with a quiet backdrop for a parade, emphasizing that human lives should take precedence over ceremonial displays.
Although the response is not an outright rejection of the proposal, it leaves room for interpretation. It is not known, therefore, whether the traditional parade on Red Square – considered in Russia almost like a religious holiday – will proceed uninterrupted.
Victory parades – a symbol of Russian strength
The central celebrations will take place in Moscow, but parades are also planned in provincial cities and the capitals of republics. For several years, they have been pedestrian-only events. In total, parades are planned in 28 cities: nine bearing the title "heroic" and in 19 cities that are the seats of Military Districts and Army commands.
In Soviet times, parades on Red Square were primarily demonstrative – their aim was to intimidate the West. The most significant were those organized on May 1 (Labour Day) and November 7 (the anniversary of the October Revolution). The latest, often prototype military equipment was showcased. For example, on May 1, 1947, the Tu-70 passenger plane debuted, and a year later, the Tu-4 bomber – a copy of the American B-29.
It was only from 1965 that the May 9 parade began to serve as a "showroom" for Soviet military technology. However, it was not an annual event until 2000, when Putin took power, making the celebration a regular occurrence. From 2008, the parades gained an imperial grandeur. Each year featured new generations of missiles, aircraft, and anti-aircraft defense systems.
In 2015, vehicles from the Armata family appeared for the first time – the T-14 tank and the heavy IFV T-15. The Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzer, the Boomerang transporter, and the Kurganets-25 also debuted. In the air, the Su-57 – the first Russian fifth-generation fighter, according to the Kremlin's narrative, was presented.
After the invasion – a parade without grandeur
Putin's preferred holiday lost its significance after 2022. The invasion of Ukraine exposed the weaknesses of an army that had been a source of propaganda pride. Heavy equipment began to be lacking in parades – in regional cities, they entirely abandoned the mechanized component. In the years 2023–2024, the only tank present on Red Square was the historic T-34-85. It was accompanied by Tigr vehicles, a few transporters, and mobile rocket launchers.
The only new equipment shown after 2022 was the Chinese TX-FQ-01 anti-drone system, available for commercial sale, including on the AliExpress platform. Its presence speaks volumes about the state of the Russian arms industry and the real fear of Ukrainian drones, which increasingly attack Russian cities.
This year, we will likely see the T-34-85 belonging to the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division again. Russians brought them from Laos in 2019 to embellish the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the war's end.
It is possible that this time modern equipment will also appear. For months, Western intelligence has reported that some of the production does not go to the front but remains in the country – perhaps in anticipation of the September 2025 Zapad maneuvers, planned in Belarus and western Russia.
Propaganda versus reality
This year's parade – on account of the round anniversary – will have a special setting. For the Kremlin, it's an opportunity to once again demonstrate the "invincibility" of the Russian army. The official narrative claims that Russia is once again confronting "fascism" – this time Ukrainian.
Putin will certainly prepare a spectacle. The question is whether Ukraine will let him celebrate. So far, Moscow has been rather spared, but in previous years drone attacks effectively disrupted the Kremlin's plans. In 2023, out of concern for safety, parades were canceled, among others, in Belgorod, Kursk, Rostov-on-Don, and Sevastopol.
