Victory Day is a significant secular holiday in Russia that commemorates Germany's surrender in World War II, which marked the end of one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. The holiday celebrates the military might and moral fortitude of the Red Army, which suffered enormous losses in the war, with at least 20 million Soviet citizens losing their lives. Victory Day has been observed annually on May 9 since 1945, and it is one of the most revered and widely celebrated public holidays in Russia, with parades, fireworks, and concerts held across the country.
Parade summary
Young Army Cadets National Movement on the Red SquareMilitary parade on the Red Square
As light flurries of snow fell on Red Square, over 9,000 different troops from 30 various ceremonial regiments marched past the parade stand, a thousand of which were involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Just like the previous Victory Day parade, the mechanized column section only featured one tank, a T-34-85, but for the first time in three years, aerial units took part in the parade: the Russian Knights aerobatic team flew Su-30 and MiG-29 fighters, followed by six Su-25 jets that emitted smoke in the Russian tricolour. As in prior parades, missile launchers, artillery, and ICBMs were shown. During the parade, Russian soldiers were equipped with what appeared to be drone jammers given the fear that there would be Ukrainian attacks during the ceremonies. For the first time since the 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade, a president from an African nation was invited to the parade, as Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau was in attendance. It was the last Victory Day parade for Sergei Shoigu performing the duties of Minister of Defence, as three days after the parade, he was not reappointed to the position.
Putin's speech
Putin speaks from the podium
Putin criticized former Eastern BlocSoviet satellite states, as well as several other countries formerly occupied by the Soviet Union for the removal of Soviet-era monuments and memorials dedicated to the Soviet Union's victory in World War II, saying that they were now dedicating monuments to "traitors and Hitler's accomplices" while erasing the history of noble world liberators. He also claimed that the West attempted to forget major battles during the war, and said that Russia was trying its best to avoid a global conflict, but would also not let the nation be threatened.
