Russia’s pared-down Victory Day parade tells a story: Away from the pomp, war in Ukraine is not going to Putin’s plan

Moscow’s influence is Eastern Europe has been slipping of late, including with the loss of a stalwart ally in Hungary. The battleground, as ever, remains Ukraine.

By: Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 7, 2026

Words: 1,326

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State

Victory Day in Russia, which marks the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union, has long held particular importance in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Yet this year the May 9 celebration – usually replete with extensive parades across the country and a demonstration of military hardware in Moscow – is expected to be significantly pared down. That’s due to Kyiv’s ongoing long-range military capabilities. For …

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