Russia's Victory Day in the shadow of war, Putin's strong message to NATO
Russia's 2026 Victory Day parade in Moscow looked very different this year, with no tanks or major military hardware appearing in Red Square for the first time in nearly two decades. President Vladimir Putin used the ceremony to defend the Ukraine war, while Russian officials cited battlefield demands and security threats from Ukrainian drones as reasons for the scaled-back event.
The parade also highlighted Moscow's changing alliances, featuring North Korean soldiers alongside Russian forces and attendance from leaders including Alexander Lukashenko and Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim. The event unfolded during a three-day ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump.
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