Russia on Friday, celebrated the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II with a Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square.President Vladimir Putin marked the event with a display of tanks, missiles, and over 11,000 troops, including 1,500 combatants from the ongoing Ukraine war. It was the largest Victory Day celebration since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Putin took the occasion to drive domestic patriotism and project strength around the globe, hosting more than two dozen world leaders, the highest number of attendance since the war began. Among them, some high-profile guests were Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sat next to Putin and also had a meeting for more than three hours a day earlier, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the only European Union leader present, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also attended. Putin referred to Xi as his “dear friend” as both leaders delivered messages of defiance against the West.Victory Day remains Russia’s most important secular holiday, commemorating the estimated 25–27 million Soviet lives lost during World War II.“It’s again showing that Russia is not isolated, that Russia is seen as a very legitimate victorious nation that is among victors in World War II,” said Alexander Gabuev, director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.“Russia is standing tall among the so-called global majority,” Gabuev said, adding that the attendance of Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico showed that “Russia has allies even within the Western camp” and marked a major public relations victory for Putin.For Putin, Victory Day celebrations have become “a civic religion that boosts patriotism, nationalism, nostalgia, and justifies both his repressive regime at home and Russia’s increasingly expansionist foreign policy abroad, particularly including towards its neighbors,” Gabuev said.In his speech, Putin praised Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine for their “courage and determination,” aligning them with the WWII legacy. The parade featured troops from 13 allied countries, including China, Egypt, Vietnam, Laos and several former Soviet republics. Foreign contingents marched alongside Russian forces, cadets, and members of the Young Army youth movement. The military contingents from CIS states (Commonwealth of Independent States) included parade units from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.Security was tight across the country amid drone threats, with mobile signal disruptions reported. In a historic tribute, Putin’s hometown St Petersburg temporarily reverted to its Soviet-era name, Leningrad, while Volgograd was renamed Stalingrad for a day, as it was known during World War II.Notably, North Korean military officials were honored at the event. Last month, Putin thanked North Korea for fighting alongside Russian troops against Ukrainian forces and hailed their sacrifices as Pyongyang confirmed its deployment for the first time.While Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was scheduled to attend Victory Day, cancelled his visit due to ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth represented India in Moscow.The parade on Moscow’s Red Square featured a diverse range of military units on foot, including regiments and battalions from various branches of the armed forces. Marching alongside them were cadets from Suvorov infantry and Nakhimov naval schools, military musicians, members of the Young Army youth group, female soldiers, Cossacks, and personnel who have taken part in the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.A unified military band also participated.The event concluded with an aerial display, as Russian combat aircraft soared above the city. The Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) in Su-30SM fighters and the Strizhi (Swifts) flying MiG-29s executed the signature “Kubinka Diamond” formation. They were followed by six Su-25 attack jets trailing smoke in the colors of the Russian flag.While Russia commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, most European nations observe it on May 8.
