EditScaled-back 9 May Moscow parade highlights fragile Trump-brokered ceasefire and Ukrainian defiance
The subdued event on Red Square underscored Moscow’s vulnerability and the Kremlin’s reliance on external mediation to secure its flagship national holida
Russia staged one of its most muted Victory Day parades in years on Saturday, 9 May, as the shadow of the ongoing war in Ukraine loomed large – even as a U.S.-brokered, Trump-imposed three-day ceasefire temporarily paused hostilities.
The subdued event on Red Square underscored Moscow’s vulnerability and the Kremlin’s reliance on external mediation to secure its flagship national holiday.
Trump’s ceasefire takes center stage
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the three-day truce (from Saturday to Monday) after both sides accused each other of violating earlier unilateral ceasefires. The agreement, which the Kremlin and Kyiv both accepted, also includes the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war each.
Trump, who has repeatedly described the conflict as “crazy” and the worst loss of life in Europe since World War Two, pushed for the pause and expressed hope for a “big extension.” Speaking to reporters, he said: “I’d like to see it stop… Twenty-five thousand young soldiers every month. It’s crazy.” No major violations were reported in the initial hours.
The ceasefire directly enabled the parade to proceed without the immediate threat of Ukrainian strikes that had prompted Russia to warn of massive retaliation and even advise foreign diplomats to evacuate Kyiv.
Zelenskyy’s cheeky “authorisation”
In a characteristically irreverent move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a tongue-in-cheek presidential decree formally “authorising” Russia to hold its 9 May military parade. The decree explicitly stated that Ukrainian weapons would not target Red Square during the event — a mocking gesture that highlighted Kyiv’s leverage even amid the truce.
No, this is no joke. And immensely uplifting for Ukrainian people. pic.twitter.com/76lihucfIj
— Kira Rudik (@kiraincongress) May 9, 2026
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the decree as a “silly joke,” but the episode neatly captured the power dynamics: Russia needed the ceasefire to celebrate its historical victory in relative safety, while Zelenskyy used the moment to deliver a symbolic jab.
A diminished spectacle
The parade itself was notably stripped back due to security concerns. For the first time in years, no tanks, heavy military vehicles, or intercontinental ballistic missiles rolled across Red Square’s cobblestones. Soldiers and sailors – including some who had served in Ukraine – marched on foot, while fighter jets performed a flyover above the Kremlin.
President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech and laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, seated among veterans in front of Lenin’s Mausoleum. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the format as “everything as usual, except for the demonstration of military equipment.”
Deeper anxieties in Moscow
Victory Day traditionally celebrates thev victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, commemorating the “Great Patriotic War” and the sacrifice of 27 million Soviet citizens, including many Ukrainians. This year’s event, however, was haunted by the grinding reality of a war now in its fifth year – one that has drained Russia’s economy, isolated it internationally, and shown no clear path to victory.
Public anxiety in Russia appears to be growing, with even pro-war voices expressing concern. Jailed ultranationalist Igor Girkin warned that the leadership was more focused on internal power struggles than on averting a broader crisis.
Fico keeps low profile
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico did not attend the military parade on Red Square. Fico travelled to Moscow for Victory Day commemorations and laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin. He also held a brief meeting with Vladimir Putin. However, he explicitly chose not to participate in the scaled-back Red Square parade itself, stating: “I am not attending any military parade.”
While the Kremlin initially listed him as a guest, Fico made clear his visit was limited to the wreath-laying ceremony and bilateral talks – a distinction widely reported on the day of the event.
Fico’s government plane overflew four countries en route from Bratislava to Moscow: the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. This northern detour was chosen after Poland and the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) refused overflight permission.
Fico seeks new route to Moscow as Baltic states block overflight
The route took the aircraft northward through Czech and German airspace, then over the Baltic Sea (under Swedish and Finnish air traffic control) before entering Russian airspace. The flight lasted approximately 3.5–4 hours.
Fico found a workaround to get to Moscow for May 9 — he’ll take a long detour
He is expected to fly through the airspace of four countries: the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Finland. The route will take around 3.5 to 4 hours.
Earlier, the Baltic states and Poland refused… pic.twitter.com/WY97BFqXe4
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 7, 2026
Caption: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in central Moscow, Russia, 09 May 2026. Russia marks the 81st anniversary of the victory in World War II over Nazi Germany and its allies. EPA/ALEXANDER NEMENOV / POOL
Updated: May 9, 2026 - 16:06
