9 May marked by the Ukraine war: the military parade in Moscow is to be significantly smaller

Created: 05/08/2022, 05:00

By: Christian Stör

The day of the Soviet victory over Hitler's Germany is traditionally celebrated in Moscow.

But this year, May 9th is all about the Ukraine war.

• Moscow prepares military parade:

  On May 9, Russia celebrates “Victory Day” over Nazi Germany.

• Pictures from the Russian capital:

  The big parade through the capital Moscow this year is all about the Ukraine war.

• Military parade in Moscow:

  You can read all the information about the celebrations in the middle of the Ukraine conflict on May 9, 2022 in our ticker.

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Moscow is preparing for the annual military parade on May 9th.

But this year the selection of weapons shown on the streets of the capital is likely to be significantly smaller than in previous years.

This is mainly due to the Ukraine war.

The website defensenews.com, which relies on observers of the exercises in Moscow, first reported on it.

Russian MiG-29SMT fighter jets rehearse their appearance at the military parade in Moscow, which will be held on May 9.

© Yuri Kadobnov/afp

Update from Saturday, May 7th, 10:14 am:

Preparations in Moscow for the May 9th military parade are in full swing.

The date marks one of the country's most important holidays.

This year, the traditional military parade through Moscow due to the war in Ukraine will become the "most watched parade in years," according to Moscow Times experts.

Hundreds of soldiers and several tanks can be seen in pictures from the capital.

Russia celebrates May 9th - military parade in Moscow

View photo gallery

Moscow is preparing for a military parade on May 9th - pictures from the Russian capital

Update from Friday, May 6th, 8:30 p.m .:

On May 9th, Russia is celebrating the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with great pomp (see first report).

Now members of the Ukrainian Security Council are warning of the increased risk of Russian attacks on Sunday and Monday.

"Since Russian troops will not be able to show any significant successes at the front until Victory Day, the risk of massive shelling of Ukrainian cities is increasing these days," said a Facebook post from the Center for Combating Disinformation, which is part of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the curfew will not be extended, but street patrols will be strengthened, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

May 9th in Russia: Will Putin officially declare a state of war? 

First report from May 6th:

Moscow – The spectacle is known.

Every year on May 9, on the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Hitler's Germany, Russia showcases its military might.

In the year of the Ukraine war, the day has a special meaning for Vladimir Putin and the nation.

The President's speech on Red Square in Moscow is awaited with great excitement.

For a long time, experts thought that Putin would declare the war in Ukraine over on May 9th.

But Putin's military is still a long way from success.

As a precaution, Russia's foreign minister has already rejected any speculation: "Our military will not artificially align its actions with any date," Sergey Lavrov recently told the Italian television channel Mediaset.

Another option sounds more likely.

Putin could officially declare war on Ukraine and order general mobilization.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace even suspects that Putin wants to declare the campaign in Ukraine a global war against "Nazis".

The only thing that is certain is that Putin will warn the US and NATO against attacks on Russia.

May 9th in Russia: Moscow wants to present new rocket launchers at a military parade

Military parades are planned for May 9 in 28 Russian cities.

At the country's largest march in Moscow, 11,000 soldiers are to march, tanks, rockets and the latest war equipment are to be presented.

"For the first time, modern Tornado-G multiple rocket launchers with a caliber of 122 millimeters and equipped with automatic control and fire control systems will roll across Red Square in the motorized column," announced Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, according to a report by the Interfax agency.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Iskander missiles deployed in Ukraine will also be on display.

Battle tanks such as the most modern type T-14, the air defense systems S-400, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2, combat robots of the Uran-9 type and ICBMs that can be equipped with nuclear warheads will also be on display.

At an air show, fighter jets, long-range bombers and the Ilyushin Il-80, known as the “doomsday plane”, are to take off.

The flying command post is designed for use in the event of a nuclear war, should the command centers on the ground no longer function.

(cs/dpa)