Victory Day Scaled Back: Russia Quietly Cancels May 9 Parades
Russian service members wait before a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in central Moscow, Russia, April 29, 2026. REUTERS/Ramil Sitdikov
In Russia, at least 15 regions have completely abandoned military parades on May 9 this year, and major cities have imposed serious restrictions.
This is reported by ASTRA.
Festive events were canceled, in particular, in Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh, Rostov, Saratov, Ryazan, Kaluga, Oryol, Pskov, Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, and Leningrad regions, as well as in Krasnodar Krai and Chuvashia.
In Moscow, for the first time since 2007, they plan to hold a parade without military equipment, and in St. Petersburg, they have abandoned the display of armored vehicles.
In most regions, the “Immortal Regiment” campaign was moved online, and fireworks were canceled in many cities.
The Russian authorities explain such decisions as security measures, but analysts link them to the war against Ukraine and the risks of attacks deep in the rear.
In addition, the decrease in the number of equipment in parades may indicate its shortage at the front and the depletion of the Russian army’s resources.
Many regions are also warning of possible internet outages during the celebrations.
Experts note that this year’s events look much more modest and are actually losing their traditional scale.
It should be noted that Ukraine sees no reason to adhere to the “truce” that Russia is proposing for the period of the May 9 celebration.
Zelenskyy previously said that Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire starting May 6. At the same time, Russian leader Vladimir Putin proposed a separate “truce” for May 8-9.