Putin’s Victory Day Parade Relies On A U.S.-Brokered Ukraine Truce

BusinessAerospace & DefensePutin’s Victory Day Parade Relies On A U.S.-Brokered Ukraine TruceByDavid Kirichenko,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Kirichenko is a journalist focusing on war and technology.Follow AuthorMay 08, 2026, 05:14pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2024. (Photo by Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / POOL / AFP)POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesRussia’s annual Victory Day parade has long been designed to project strength. Tanks roll across Red Square. Fighter jets roar overhead. It is less a military ceremony than a political ritual built around the idea of Russian power since 1945. This year, the mood is different.The BBC reported on May 7 that this year’s parade would feature no military hardware on Red Square for the first time in nearly two decades. “Our tanks are busy right now,” Russian MP Yevgeny Popov told the BBC. “They are fighting. We need them more on the battlefield than on Red Square.”Moscow’s public warnings and security measures suggest concern that Ukraine could target events connected to the May 9 celebrations. According to Reuters, Russia's Foreign Ministry openly warned of retaliation if Ukrainian attacks disrupt the parade. Russian authorities have reportedly urged diplomatic missions to prepare to evacuate personnel from Kyiv in the event of a major Russian strike. For years, Ukrainians have lived under the constant threat of Russian missile and drone attacks. Public events across Ukraine have been scaled back or moved underground. Large gatherings have become potential targets. Now Moscow is taking similar precautions.Moscow Takes PrecautionsAccording to reports from Russian media, mobile internet and SMS services are expected to be restricted in Moscow during the parade for security reasons...