The2023 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a military parade held inRed Square,Moscow,Russia, on 9 May 2023, to commemorateVictory Day which celebrates the defeat ofNazi Germany and the end of theEastern Front ofWorld War II. The event was scaled down due to the ongoingRussian invasion of Ukraine amidst anarrest warrant forVladimir Putin issued by theInternational Criminal Court in March 2023.[1]
Victory Day is a significant secular holiday in Russia that commemoratesGermany's surrender in World War II, which markedthe end of one of thedeadliest conflicts in human history. The holiday celebrates the military might and moral fortitude of theRed Army, which suffered enormous losses in the war, with at least20 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 celebratedpublic holidays in Russia, with parades, fireworks, and concerts held across the country.
The 2023 parade was heavily scaled down compared to earlier parades. Around 51 vehicles were present, which includedIMVs and Remdiesel Z-STS AkhmatMRAPs, the latter of which are only used byChechen forces.[2]
Only one tank was shown, namely an antiqueT-34-85, a type produced in the Soviet Union from 1944 to 1946. No flyover column was present during the event for the second year in a row.[2][3] Only 51 vehicles were present compared to 197 for the 2021 Victory Day parade, roughly only 25% of the vehicles that appeared in 2021. Given the lack of a flyover, the parade lasted only 45 minutes, compared to an hour and a half as per usual. Only eight thousand soldiers took place in the parade compared to eleven thousand soldiers who appeared in 2021. The vintage T-34-85 was the only tracked vehicle on parade, the rest of the vehicles were light fighting vehicles that were wheeled. Vehicles such asVPK-3927 Volk,Tigr andVPK-7829 Bumerang appeared on the parade. Noshort range air defense systems were seen either, a break from previous parades. Finally the relatives of those that fought inGreat Patriotic War, theImmortal Regiment, were not allowed to march.[4][5][6]
As in earlier years, missile launchers and artillery were also included.ICBMs were shown and among these were threeRS-24 Yars.[2]
In his speech to the Russian audience, Putin claimed that Russia is thedefender of peace,freedom, and stability, saying that "We believe that any ideology of superiority is inherently disgusting, criminal and deadly." Putin accused "Western globalist elites" for "provoking bloody conflicts and upheaval," professing an "aggressive nationalism," sowing hatred andRussophobia, and destroying traditional family values.[7][8]
Amongst those in attendance were:[9]
President of BelarusAlexander Lukashenko
President of KazakhstanKassym-Jomart Tokayev[10]
President of KyrgyzstanSadyr Japarov
President of TajikistanEmomali Rahmon[11]
President of TurkmenistanSerdar Berdimuhamedow[12]
President of UzbekistanShavkat Mirziyoyev[13]
Prime Minister of ArmeniaNikol Pashinyan[14]
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