Russia held its 79th annual Victory Day parade on Thursday, May 9, in Moscow to commemorate the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II. The scaled-down ceremony featured a World War II-era tank, 9,000 troops, 61 weapon systems and 15 combat aircraft in Red Square.
Officials accused the West of fueling global conflicts.
During his speech, with nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles on display, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russian troops’ efforts in Ukraine and emphasized Russia’s nuclear strength.
“Russia will do everything to avert a global confrontation,” Putin said. “At the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us. Our strategic forces are always combat ready.”
Putin also noted that Russia was enduring a “difficult period” critical to the nation’s future.
Recent satellite imagery indicates that nearly a third of Russia’s armored fighting vehicles are no longer in storage, suggesting Moscow is facing challenges replenishing its military stocks. Ukraine’s general staff reports significant losses of Russian vehicles, particularly the MT-LB, a Soviet-era armored vehicle. The images show that only 922 of the pre-war stock of 2,527 remain.
During the parade, only one tank was displayed, highlighting the losses Russia has endured, with 2,000 tanks destroyed since the war began. Ukraine has suggested more Russian equipment losses although those numbers could not be verified.
As Putin continues his attempt to take over neighboring Ukraine, tensions with European countries worsen. The U.K. has responded by expelling a Russian colonel identified as an undeclared military intelligence officer, revoking the diplomatic status of several Russian properties and imposing new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas.
U.K. Home Secretary James Cleverly outlined the broad pattern of Russian malign activities across Europe, including sabotage plans against military aid for Ukraine, espionage, cyberattacks, disinformation activities, airspace violations and GPS jamming.
A British man was recently charged for recruiting others to commit arson at a Ukrainian-linked property in London, aimed at benefiting Russia. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed the U.K.’s claims of Russian involvement in the arson as absurd and accused Britain of engaging in an information war.