Putin Leads Scaled-Back Victory Day Parade as Ceasefire Begins

Red Square Parade

Russia held a scaled-back Victory Day parade on Red Square on May 9, 2026, marking the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, NPR and the Kremlin reported. President Vladimir Putin presided over the ceremony, which took place against the backdrop of a fragile new ceasefire with Ukraine.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the parade featured infantry only, with no tanks, missiles or other heavy weaponry on display, according to CNN and Al Jazeera. The traditional flyover of combat jets nevertheless took place.

Foreign Guests on the Tribune

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, and the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan attended the parade, CNN reported. For the first time, North Korean troops marched on Red Square alongside Russian units.

Putin's Speech

In his address, Putin invoked the legacy of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II and tied it to Russia's current military operations in Ukraine. "Victory has always been and will be ours," Putin said. "The key to success is our moral strength, courage and valor, our unity and ability to endure anything and overcome any challenge."

The Russian leader also drew a direct line between past and present. "The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the soldiers carrying out the goals of the special military operation today," he said. "They are confronting an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc."

Three-Day Truce

The parade coincided with the start of a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, covering May 9 through 11, NPR and Al Jazeera reported. The truce, brokered by US President Donald Trump, includes a suspension of kinetic activity along the front line and an exchange of 1,000 prisoners by each side, framing this year's Victory Day in an unusually charged diplomatic context.