The scaled back parade comes amid increasing Ukrainian attacks deep into mainland Russia, including the capital Moscow. The last time a Victory day parade was held without weaponry display was in 2007.
https://p.dw.com/p/5D1alSome 11,000 troops and about 150 military vehicles reportedly took part in Russia's 2025 Victory Day paradeImage: /Sergey Bobylev/SNA/IMAGOAdvertisementRussia is this year planning to celebrate its World War II victory over Nazi Germany with parades that do not include the standard display of weaponry, for the first time in nearly two decades.
The Kremlin on Wednesday made the announcement, citing an increased threat of Ukrainian attacks.
Moscow's May 9 parade in the capital's Red Square is among the biggest annual celebrations in Russia.
Traditionally under President Vladimir Putin, the day is an excuse to show off weapons in the military's arsenal, ranging from tanks to intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin has been using the parade to mobilize support for his war. But in recent months, Kyiv has upped its attacks, striking deep within mainland Russia and damaging several ports and oil refineries.
Last year's military parade marked 80 years since the end of WWII and therefore was held at a larger than usual stage, hosting some heavyweights including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The display of military hardware on May 9 has been canceled because of the "operational situation," the Defense Ministry said late on Tuesday.
Asked by reporters about the decision, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday: "The Kyiv regime, which is losing ground on the battlefield every day, has now launched full-scale terrorist activity. And therefore... all measures are being taken to minimize the danger."
Peskov also noted that this year is not a significant anniversary, unlike last year.
John Foreman, a former British defense attache to Moscow, told the Reuters news agency that 11,000 troops and about 150 military vehicles — including tanks, which had been absent in the two previous years — took part in the 2025 parade.
Analysts and Kremlin critics such as Foreman suggest the decision was made to avoid exposing Russian military assets as easy targets for potential Ukrainian drone attacks. They also added that it signaled Moscow was preserving its assets for the fighting.
"This decision signals a degree of vulnerability rather than strength, because even last year, Russia demonstrated a range of new tanks and drones in front of invited world leaders," Natia Seskuria, associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, told the Associated Press news agency.
Weaponry displays have been a staple of Victory Day parades in Russia since 2008.
