Russia To Hold May 9 Victory Day Parade Without Military Hardware — First Since 2022 Invasion

Russia's annual Victory Day parade on May 9, marking the 81st anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, will proceed without military equipment for the first time since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian Defense Ministry announced late Tuesday.

Troops march during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at the Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The ministry said the decision to exclude both a military-equipment convoy and cadets was driven by the "current operational situation," offering no further details in the brief statement. The parade will still feature servicemen from higher military educational institutions and certain service branches, and will include a traditional military aircraft flyover.

Navy cadets march during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at the Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Defense Ministry: "Due to the current operational situation, equipment and cadets will not take part. The parade will include servicemen from higher military educational institutions and select service branches, and an aircraft flyover will be preserved."

Victory Day — tied in Russia to the memory of the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) — is one of the country's most important secular holidays and a unifying element in Russian political life. The Soviet Union's estimated wartime losses of around 27 million people remain a powerful part of national memory.

Troops attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at the Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

President Vladimir Putin, who has led Russia for more than 25 years, has elevated Victory Day into a central pillar of state ceremonial life and frequently invokes its symbolism in justifying or framing the country's actions in Ukraine.

Troops attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at the Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Context and Recent Parades

Last year's parade was described by officials as the largest since the invasion of Ukraine, drawing dozens of high-profile foreign guests and showcasing a heavy display of troops and hardware. That event reportedly featured more than 11,500 personnel and over 180 military vehicles — including tanks, armored infantry vehicles, artillery pieces and missile transporter-erector-launchers — alongside a flyover of military aircraft.

Authorities previously took extraordinary precautions during recent parades: in one instance they declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire and temporarily restricted mobile internet in Moscow to reduce the risk of drone attacks. In 2023 the parade was scaled down compared with pre-2022 displays, with fewer troops and no aerial flyover.

The Defense Ministry gave no timeline for any future return of ground hardware to Red Square and did not specify whether the decision reflects a short-term security adjustment or a longer operational shift. Observers say the omission of heavy equipment underscores continued security and operational pressures amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.