Putin's WWII parade cuts tanks and missiles for use in Ukraine war

Bloomberg News on Apr 29, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Russia will stage its traditional May 9 parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II without heavy military equipment for the first time since 2007, as the war in Ukraine takes its toll on President Vladimir Putin’s army.

No armored vehicles or missile systems will roll across Red Square during the parade “due to the current operational situation,” according to a Defense Ministry statement published late Tuesday on Telegram. Cadets from military schools and youth military institutions will also be absent, it said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters later that the decision had been taken to minimize potential threats to the event from Ukraine. “The parade will still take place, albeit in a scaled-down format,” he said.

Putin revived displays of Russia’s armored might for the annual Red Square parade in 2008 for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The event has served as a key showcase of the country’s military capabilities for both domestic and international audiences.

This year’s reduced format comes as Ukrainian drones strike targets across many parts of Russia on an almost daily basis with the war now in its fifth year. The attacks have largely focused on industrial sites — particularly oil infrastructure — as well as logistics hubs, triggering fires, damage to factories, production shutdowns and export disruptions.

Authorities in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse declared a state of emergency this week after Ukrainian drones struck a local refinery and port three times in April, turning the area into an ecological disaster zone.

The televised broadcast of the parade will feature footage of Russian servicemen from all branches of the armed forces carrying out combat missions in the war zone, as well as those on combat duty, alongside an aerial display, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.

The decision to curtail the parade contrasts sharply with last year’s event, when Putin hosted Russia’s celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the 1945 victory and was joined by some world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The festivities took place amid one of the heaviest drone attacks on Moscow since the start of the war.

Several Russian regions have also cut back their local Victory Day programs or canceled them altogether this year, Kommersant newspaper reported, citing regional authorities.