Victory Day parade in Moscow passes without attacks, lasting less than an hour

A Victory Day parade was held on Red Square in Moscow on 9 May and lasted less than an hour. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May – ed.]

Source: Russian news outlets RBC and Agentstvo Novosti

Details: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there had been "no attempts to disrupt the Victory Day celebrations" on 9 May.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin delivered a speech lasting almost nine minutes and announced a minute's silence in memory of those killed in the war.

After Putin's speech, spectators were shown a video lasting almost seven minutes about Russia's latest military equipment, which replaced the usual display of actual military hardware.

The ceremonial march of parade units then began.

For the first time, servicemen from Russia's unmanned systems forces took part in the parade. North Korean military personnel also marched across Red Square.

Media outlets calculated that the 2026 parade featured three times fewer marching units than in 2024, when more than 30 parade formations crossed Red Square.

Background: In his speech during the parade, Putin said Russian forces draw inspiration from Soviet troops of the World War II era.

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