Russia could have deployed more armored vehicles during the 9 May Victory Day parade in Moscow, according to UK Defence Intelligence, but the Kremlin was concerned about domestic backlash.
The composition of Russia’s Victory Day Parade at Red Square on May 9, 2023, was quoted as saying, “The material and strategic communications challenges the military is facing 15 months into the war in Ukraine were highlighted.”
According to reports, the march had about 8,000 military troops, although the majority were auxiliary, paramilitary, and cadets from military colleges.
Military police and the Railway forces were the sole members of the deployable regular forces.
The only tank in the parade was a ceremonial unit’s antique T-34 from World War II.
Although Russia suffered significant casualties in Ukraine, additional armored vehicles may have been deployed. The authorities probably refrained from doing so in order to prevent public backlash on their decision to give parades precedence over war operations.
Previously: On 9 May, Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS reported that “the latest Z-STS Akhmat and AMN-590951 Spartak armoured vehicles entered the Red Square in Moscow during the parade in honour of the 78th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War… after T-34 [World War II-era] tanks”, although only one tank was seen.
Military aircraft have not been displayed at the parade in Moscow for the second year in a row.
Background:
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin held a parade in Moscow on 9 May 2023, despite fierce fighting and huge losses in the war against Ukraine. No aircraft took part in it, as in 2022, and there was only one tracked vehicle, a Second World War-era T-34 tank.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin told a succession of lies during his speech at the Victory Day parade, claiming that Russia has no enemies among other countries and wants to see a peaceful and free future. However, he acknowledged that the war in Ukraine is the most important matter today.
According to Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS, “over 12,000 fireworks decorated Moscow’s sky in honour of Victory Day” on 9 May.
This year, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and the prime minister of Armenia agreed to attend Putin’s parade despite the war.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry considers the participation of the leaders of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the Russian “victory parade” in Moscow alongside war criminal Vladimir Putin to be an immoral and unfriendly step.
