Putin leads scaled‑back Victory Day parade
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- Putin presided over Moscow's Victory Day parade, which was noticeably smaller than in previous years.
- Moscow held the parade under heightened security, with increased police presence and restricted access to Red Square.
- Russia displayed fewer troops, tanks, and aircraft in the parade, reflecting a "less muscular" show, as noted by the WSJ.
- Putin used his speech to denounce NATO, accusing the alliance of aggression.
- Russia intensified its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine in mid‑April, with a surge of attacks from April 16‑18.
Why it matters: Russian citizens see Putin’s image weaken as the May 9 parade’s reduced scale coincides with a three‑day surge of missile and drone attacks (April 16‑18), deepening war fatigue and threatening the Kremlin’s internal support.
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