Putin says Russia is fighting for “just cause” in Ukraine during scaled-down Victory Day parade amid tight security

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday expressed confidence about victory in Ukraine as he presided over a military parade in Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II – a parade that did not include heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades.

Security was tight in Moscow as Putin and several foreign leaders attended the show, which was scaled down even though it was from the US. three days of ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities.

Putin, who has been in power for more than a century, has used Victory Day, Russia’s most important national holiday, to show off the country’s military might and encourage military support for Ukraine. now in its fifth year.

Speaking at the show, Putin congratulated the Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, saying that they are “facing an aggressive army armed and supported by the entire NATO organization,” and fighting for “the right cause.”

“Victory has always been ours and will be ours,” Putin said, as soldiers lined up in Red Square. “The key to success is our moral strength, courage and bravery, our unity and the ability to endure anything and overcome any challenge.”

But in a significant change this year, the parade took place without tanks, missiles and other heavy equipment, without the usual flight of fighter jets.

Russia-Ukraine barbs in lead trade

Officials described the sudden change in format as a “current operational situation” and said additional security measures were taken in response to the threat of an attack on Ukraine. State television commentators said heavy weapons were badly needed on the battlefield in Ukraine.

For the first time, Saturday’s parade included marching troops North Koreaa tribute to Pyongyang sending its troops to fight Moscow’s forces to repel Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region.

Russia announced a ceasefire on Friday and Saturday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the agreement it was supposed to start on May 6, but none of them caught on as the teams traded attacks.

President Trump announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine bowed to his call for a ceasefire from Saturday to Monday and a prisoner exchange, declaring that the outbreak of hostilities could be “the beginning of the end” of the war.

Zelenskyy, who said earlier this week that Russian authorities are “fearful that drones may appear in Red Square” on May 9, followed Mr. Trump mockingly issued an order allowing Russia to hold Victory Day celebrations on Saturday, announcing that Red Square was temporarily banned from Ukrainian strikes.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Zelenskyy’s announcement as a “ridiculous joke.” “We don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of our Victory Day,” Peskov told reporters.

Larger and better equipped Russian troops have been making small but steady gains along a front line of more than 1,000 kilometers (more than 600 miles). Ukraine has also hit back with increasingly long-range attacks on Russian energy facilities, manufacturing plants and military depots. It has developed drones capable of reaching targets more than 1,000 kilometers (more than 600 miles) deep in Russia, beyond its capabilities before 2022.

Russian authorities have warned that if Ukraine tries to disrupt Saturday’s celebrations, Russia will launch a “major missile strike on the center of Kyiv.” The Russian Defense Ministry has warned residents there and staff of foreign missions “of the need to leave the city immediately.” The EU has said its embassies will not leave the Ukrainian capital despite Russian threats.

Victory Day celebrations mark the sacrifices of WWII

Putin has used Victory Day celebrations to promote national pride and emphasize Russia’s position as a world power. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in 1941-45 in what it calls the Great Patriotic War, a massive sacrifice that left a deep scar in the nation’s psyche and remains a rare point of consensus in the nation’s divisive history under Communist rule.

“We celebrate it with feelings of pride and love for our country, with the understanding of our common duty to protect the interests and future of our Motherland,” Putin said at the show.

“Our soldiers suffered heavy losses, made great sacrifices in the name of the freedom and dignity of the European people, became the epitome of courage and majesty, strength and humanity, and were crowned with the great glory of a great victory.”

Victory Day parades in Red Square have involved a wide array of heavy weapons – from armored vehicles to nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles – every year since 2008. Smaller parades are being held elsewhere across the country, but this time many of them have been scaled back or even canceled altogether for security reasons.

Authorities on Saturday ordered restrictions on all mobile Internet access and messaging services in the Russian capital, citing the need to ensure public safety. The government has strengthened the way internet research and instituted strict controls over Internet activities, causing uproar and rare expressions of public discontent.

The King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, the President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the authoritative leader of Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko attended the festivities in the capital of Russia.

Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, a member of the European Union, laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial just outside the Kremlin walls but stayed away from the Red Square parade. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Fico’s trip, saying, “I deeply regret this, and we will discuss his visit to Moscow with him.”

Speaking at a meeting with Putin in the Kremlin, Fico lamented what he called the new “iron curtain” of Europe that hinders trade, and emphasized the importance of Russia’s energy supply to Slovakia. Putin praised the Slovak leader for pursuing an “independent” foreign policy and honoring the memory of fallen Red Army soldiers.