Commentary: What this year’s Victory Day parade in Moscow tells us about Russia’s war against Ukraine
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- Russia held an underwhelming Victory Day parade on May 9, 2024, with no military vehicles or equipment displayed, only video footage of its military industry shown on big screens.
- Moscow’s air‑defence network was bolstered by hastily relocated equipment, yet Russian officials withdrew valuable weapons from the parade out of fear of Ukrainian strikes after drone attacks temporarily closed two city airports.
- Ukraine has demonstrated the ability to launch deep‑strike drone and missile attacks inside Russia, with hundreds of drones reported across multiple regions, including near the capital, just days before the parade.
- Red Square’s parade, traditionally a showcase of Russian might, now featured no hardware—a stark contrast to 2025’s display of nearly 200 vehicles—signaling heightened fear and isolation in the fifth year of the war.
Why it matters: Russian defense firms lose a high‑profile showcase as the May 9 parade displayed no military hardware—down from nearly 200 vehicles in 2025—while Ukraine’s deep‑strike capability gains strategic leverage, weakening Kremlin morale and foreign investor confidence.
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