Putin Leads Scaled‑Down Victory Parade, No Heavy Arms
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- Vladimir Putin oversaw the Victory Day parade on Red Square, proclaiming Russian troops are fighting a “just cause” against NATO‑backed aggression.
- The parade was scaled down, omitting tanks, missiles and other heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades, citing the “current operational situation.”
- North Korea sent troops to the parade, marking the first foreign contingent to march on Red Square in recent history.
- Donald Trump announced a U.S.-brokered three‑day ceasefire from Saturday through Monday, calling it the “beginning of the end” of the war.
- Volodymyr Zelensky declared Red Square temporarily off‑limits for Ukrainian strikes and mocked Russia’s celebrations, while Russian authorities blocked mobile internet and text messaging in Moscow.
Why it matters: Russia’s trimmed display shows growing military strain and heightened security concerns, while Trump’s ceasefire gives Ukraine a diplomatic opening and forces both sides to adjust tactics ahead of the next phase of the conflict.
