Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a scaled-back Victory Day parade on Red Square, Moscow, Saturday May 9, 2026, marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
For the first time in nearly two decades, no military hardware was on display. Only 9,000 military personnel marched through Red Square under tight security, with attendance by foreign leaders limited mostly to close Russian allies.
In a combative speech, Putin declared that Russian troops in Ukraine “face an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire bloc of NATO,” adding: “Victory has always been and will be ours.”
Putin compared the current war to the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany, describing Russia’s war goals as “just.”
Zelensky responded with sharp mockery, issuing a presidential decree “allowing” Russia to hold its Victory Day celebrations, declaring Red Square temporarily closed to Ukrainian strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Zelensky’s decree a “silly joke,” saying: “We don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of Victory Day.”
The absence of tanks, missiles and heavy weapons from the parade told a story of its own. Ukraine’s sustained long-range drone campaign has forced Moscow to strip its most symbolic national celebration of the very military hardware that once defined it.