Internet cut off in central Moscow as Victory Day parade begins

Roman Petrenko — 9 May, 10:14

Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Screenshot

Mobile internet has been shut down in central Moscow as the Victory Day parade has commenced. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May – ed.]

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS; Astra, a Russian media outlet

Details: Media reports indicate that this year the parade is being held in a scaled-back format, without a procession of military equipment, cadets or students from the Suvorov and Nakhimov military schools.

According to Russian propagandists, Andrei Mordvichev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, is commanding the parade on Red Square for the first time.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that on 9 May, there were "no attempts to disrupt the Victory Day celebrations".

Update: The parade lasted less than an hour.

Background: Ukraine has officially allowed Russia to hold the Victory Day parade as part of a ceasefire arrangement.

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