No tanks, no show of force? Moscow explains scaled-down May 9 parade
Photo: Military parade in Russia on May 9 (Getty Images)
Russia’s Ministry of Defense informed that the May 9 military parade in Moscow would take place without the traditional display of armored vehicles. Only marching troops will take part in the parade on Red Square.
Who will march and who won't
The marching column will include servicemen from higher military educational institutions across all branches of the armed forces. However, students from Suvorov and Nakhimov military schools, cadet corps, and the mechanized column have been excluded from the parade.
No equipment, footage from the front instead
Instead of showcasing military hardware, the parade will feature broadcasts highlighting troops carrying out combat missions in Ukraine, as well as those on duty in the Strategic Missile Forces, Aerospace Forces, and the Navy.
The aerial segment of the event will remain: aerobatic teams are scheduled to fly over, and Su-25 attack aircraft are expected to paint the sky in the colors of the Russian flag.
The May 9 parade is one of the Kremlin's key propaganda events.
Earlier, Estonia denied Slovakia permission to use its airspace for Prime Minister Robert Fico's flight to Moscow for the May 9 parade. Estonia's foreign minister underlined that the country's position remains unchanged: no permits will be granted for travel to the aggressor state.
Before that, Lithuania and Latvia also refused Fico transit through their territories. In response, the Slovak prime minister said he would find an alternative route. Poland has also received a request for overflight, which, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wiewiór, is still under review.
