Krasnodar Victory Day parade moved due to drone threat
According to the Ukrainian portal Militarny, the governor of Krasnodar Krai, Beniamin Kondratyev, announced that this year's Victory Day Parade in Krasnodar will not take place. This decision was made for security reasons due to concerns about potential strikes from Ukrainian drones.
Militarnyi added that the Russians will likely move this parade to Novorossiysk, but many other events planned for 9 May will ultimately be cancelled as a safe location cannot be found for them. Ukrainians recall that as of 2024, events organised on 9 May were cancelled in every fourth district of the Russian Federation.
Russia cancels the parade in Krasnodar
"There will be no parade in Krasnodar. The parade will take place in Novorossiysk because it's a big risk; air threat warnings are issued almost every night," Kondratyev said.
The Russian also stated that the decision was made jointly with law enforcement and military representatives. However, the Ukrainian portal Militarnyi points out that, essentially, Novorossiysk is not a fully safe area either. In the past, Ukrainians have attacked military and industrial facilities in this location; therefore, the city is within range of Ukrainian weapons.
Shortcomings in last year's parade
Let's add that during last year's parade on Red Square in Moscow, observers noted shortcomings related to armoured units. Only one tank, a T-34-85, appeared at the parade. This model was produced from 1940 to 1957. Production took place not only in the Soviet Union but also in Poland and Czechoslovakia. Currently, these tanks are considered obsolete and hold no combat value on a modern battlefield. Nevertheless, several units appeared during the conflict in Ukraine, which, according to some observers and experts, could be seen as an act of desperation by the Russian authorities.
When designing the T-34, the engineers aimed to create a tank that could compete with Western models like the Panther and Tiger. The T-34-85 versions began production from 1944. With a weight of approximately 32 tonnes and an engine power of 500 horsepower, these tanks can reach speeds of about 55 km/h. Their armour is made of rolled plates, and the armament consists of an outdated 1944 ZiS-S-53 85 mm gun. These parameters are difficult to compare with modern tanks, and additionally, the T-34-85 lacks many optical and electronic systems that were invented in later years.
