Vladimir Putin led a huge military parade in Moscow today alongside his ‘dear friend’ Xi Jinping as Russia marked the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.
More than 20 world leaders and Kremlin allies including China’s Xi, Putin’s right-hand man in Europe, Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were in attendance at the Victory Day parade in Red Square.
Putin shared a warm handshake and posed for photos with Xi this morning, dispelling any illusion that efforts by US President Donald Trump to drive a wedge between the Eastern powers had succeeded.
The Russian and Chinese leaders nestled side-by-side to watch the parade in a show of unity after they issued a statement yesterday saying Trump’s move to create a ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system would be ‘deeply destabilising’ and would risk turning space into a ‘battlefield’.
Putin and his guests, including several high-ranking North Korean military officials, watched on as hordes of soldiers goose-stepped to old marching songs and roared to their commanders before Russia’s top brass.
They were followed by a huge procession of Russian military technology that saw dozens of tanks – including the most advanced T-90M variants – S400 Triumf air defence missile systems and the gargantuan Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles roll past the Mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin.
Several drones used to batter Ukraine, including the Lancet, Geran-2, Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 variants, were also shown off in the parade. A flight of Su-25, Su-30 and MiG-29 fighter jets and bombers later soared overhead trailing smoke in the white, blue and red of the Russian tricolour.
Russia’s defence minister Andrey Belousov, who arrived in Red Square atop a convertible Russian Aurus government car, addressed and inspected the troops. They responded with a chorus of ‘hurrah!’, before Putin took to the stage to deliver his speech.
Putin declared that Russia will always remember and appreciate the contribution of US and European allies to victory in World War II.
But he went on to say he would never allow the ‘true victors over Nazism to be slandered’ and that Moscow would ‘fight against the atrocities of the followers of Nazism’, echoing the Kremlin’s rhetoric that Russia is trying to ‘de-Nazify’ its neighbour.
‘(Russia) has truth and justice on its side. The whole country, society and people support the participants of the special military operation,’ Putin insisted, adding: ‘We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory.’
The Kremlin’s so-called ‘special military operation’ is in fact the deadliest war in Europe since the conflict today’s parade is commemorating, and Ukraine has called today’s events in Moscow a ‘parade of cynicism’.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping watch the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025
Russian T-80 BVM tanks roll in Red square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025
President of Russia Vladimir Putin (R) welcoming North Korean officers during the Victory Day military parade
Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers take part in the Victory Day military parade
Russian T-80 tanks take part in the Victory Day military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War
Russian servicemen attend the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the World War II
The Kremlin showed off a collection of drones used to batter Ukraine amid the parade
Soviet era T-34 tanks roll through Red Square during a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in central Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025
Russian Sukhoi SU-25 fighter jets release smoke in the colours of the Russian tricolor flag as they fly over central Moscow during the Victory Day military parade on May 9, 2025
President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a military parade on Victory Day
Chinese President Xi Jinping leaves after the military parade on Victory Day
North Korean officers taking part in the Victory Day military parade
As the parade concluded, Putin walked along the square to greet a long line of military commanders from Russia and former Soviet states before stopping to speak with a delegation of Chinese and North Korean armed forces officers.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang in recent weeks acknowledged for the first time that North Korean troops had fought alongside their Russian counterparts against Ukraine.
The festivities ended with Putin, Xi and other world leaders solemnly laying a bouquet of red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame in memory of the Soviets killed in World War II.
Putin hopes the day will be remembered as one of pomp, circumstance and patriotism.
But his opposite number in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, had sowed fears in the Russian capital that Victory Day proceedings may not end well, saying he could not ‘guarantee the safety’ of any world leaders who choose to attend.
Ukraine attacked Moscow with drones several days this week, and Moscow and Kyiv yesterday accused each other of breaking a 72-hour ceasefire declared by Putin.
The parade ultimately unfolded without incident, though Ukraine may yet launch attacks later today.
Reports of drone strikes on the Russian border region of Belgorod suggest the ceasefire has not been observed.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has insisted the attendance of Russian allies such as Xi, Lula da Silva and several dozen leaders from the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia and Latin America shows Russia is not isolated even if Moscow’s former World War II allies want to stay away.
From Europe, the leaders of Serbia and Slovakia, Aleksandar Vucic and Robert Fico, attended alongside Lukashenko.
‘The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, has an everlasting significance,’ Putin told Xi in the Kremlin yesterday.
‘The countless sacrifices made by both our peoples should never be forgotten.’
Several gargantuan Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles trundled through Red Square
Putin, Xi and others watch on as the parade unfolds
Russian servicemen take part in the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the World War II
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a military parade on Victory Day
Russia’s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov rides on an Aurus cabriolet during a military parade on Victory Day
Russia greets North Korean military offices
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro gestures as he walks with his wife Cilia Flores in Red square after the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025
Russian Air Force Su-25 jets fly over Red Square leaving trails of smoke in the colours of the Russian state flag
Volunteers helping a veteran of the Great Patriotic War during the Victory Day military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War
A handout photo made available by Photo host Agency RIA Novosti shows Chinese servicemen attending the Victory Day military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War
Russian servicemen take part in the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the World War II
As the Kremlin geared up for Victory Day commemorations, EU foreign ministers gathered in Ukraine to agree to a special war crimes tribunal intended to snare Putin and almost two dozen other Russian leaders.
‘There will be no impunity. There will be accountability for the crimes committed,’ said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat.
Criticising leaders who chose to appear on the podium with Putin in Moscow, she said: ‘I want to stress that all those who truly support peace cannot stand side-by-side with Putin, who has started this full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine…
‘Those who truly support peace should be in Ukraine rather than in Moscow,’ she declared as the EU announced a major new aid package for Ukraine, while Britain rolled out yet another sanctions package designed to target Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil and gas tankers.
‘Despite the hostile attitude towards Russia from a number of Western countries, we are very successfully holding a very large-scale event,’ said Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s top foreign policy adviser.
Previous Victory Day festivities have seen thousands of military servicemen march through Moscow’s Red Square flanked by armoured vehicles, tanks and nuclear weapons as Russia’s President and his inner circle watch on.
This year’s procession was even grander to appropriately commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of what Russians refer to as ‘Great Patriotic War’, such was the level of sacrifice required to defeat Hitler.
The effort to defeat the Nazis – in which some 26 million Soviets perished by conservative estimates – plays a hugely important role in the Russian collective consciousness and is leveraged by Putin and the Kremlin to maximise support for today’s war in Ukraine.
That Victory Day unfolds without a hitch is so vital for the Kremlin that the Russian President declared a three-day ceasefire in his war on Ukraine from May 8-10 in an attempt to safeguard the celebrations.
All mobile networks and internet data transmissions were cut off in central Moscow this morning as an extra security measure.
But Zelensky, whose people have been indiscriminately targeted by Russia’s missiles and killer drones for more than three years, has roundly rejected the measly armistice offer and warned that Moscow could be under threat from aerial strikes.
To prove his point, Ukraine earlier this week unleashed a wave of more than 100 drones over Western Russia, forcing closures or flight cancellations at all four Moscow airports even as Russian servicemen and women conducted rehearsal drills ahead of the big day.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin (C) welcoming officers during the Victory Day military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War
Russian servicemen march on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025
Russian servicemen taking part in the Victory Day military parade
Putin delivers a speech at Victory Day parade
Russian servicemen taking part in the Victory Day military parade
Putin shared a warm handshake and posed for photos with Xi this morning before the world leaders went to find their seats ahead of the parade, with the Russian and Chinese presidents nestled side-by-side
Thousands of soldiers are marching through Red Square
Russian military officials rolled through Red Square
Putin is seen speaking with an elderly former serviceman as Xi listens in
Putin is seen speaking with an elderly former serviceman
Russian soldiers salute as the parade begins
‘Our position is very simple for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,’ he said, adding Putin was ‘playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere’ for the parade.
There were reports this morning of a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian border region of Belgorod, but the proceedings in Red Square appeared unaffected.
Victory Day processions are being held across the Russian Federation, with street parties and processions seen as far east as Vladivostok almost 4,000 miles away from Moscow.
Even though few veterans of the ‘Great Patriotic War’ are still alive 80 years after Berlin fell to the Red Army, the victory over Nazi Germany remains the most important and widely revered symbol of Soviet and Russian military prowess.
Nazi troops overran much of the western Soviet Union when they invaded in June 1941, before being driven back all the way to Berlin, where the USSR’s hammer and sickle flag was raised above the ruined capital.
The US, UK, France and other allies mark the end of the war in Europe on May 8.
In 2024, thousands of Russian servicemen paraded through Red Square to salute their leader followed by a Yars (ICBM) launcher.
But last year’s procession was notably lacking in military hardware.
One solitary World War II-era tank trundled through the centre of Moscow, accompanied by little more than a few mobile rocket launchers.
This year, Putin was committed to showing that Russia’s military strength has not been diminished, with production levels of artillery and other ammunition showing Russia is ensuring it can wage war indefinitely.
Some Russian experts fear Putin now depends on a war economy and cannot halt his military dependency.
Today’s parade did not disappoint as dozens of tanks, armoured vehicles and infantry fighting machines, missile launchers, nuclear weapons and even drones triumphantly proceeded through Red Square.
As Russia showcased the best of its military technology, one of Europe’s leading intelligence officials warned that Moscow is preparing to fight a major war.
Dutch military intelligence chief [MIVD] Vice-Admiral Peter Reesink warned starkly: ‘Russia is producing much more artillery, also with help from other countries, than they need for the war with Ukraine.’
Putin is not only replenishing depleted stockpiles but moving new artillery units toward NATO borders, including the Baltic countries and Finland, he told Politico.
‘That’s an indication for us that they are building up capability’.
Putin speaks with Defence Minister Andrey Belousov
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets President of China Xi Jinping, left, ahead of the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2025
President of Russia Vladimir Putin welcoming the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko (L) in the Kremlin before the Victory Day military parade
Red Square is hosting the Victory Day parade
Russian servicemen prepare for the Victory Day military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, on the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, 09 May 2025
Russian service members march in columns before a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two
A Russian tank moves along a bridge before a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025.
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 5, 2025
Russian ‘Yars’ intercontinental ballistic missile launcher takes part in the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, 09 May 2024
A solitary Soviet era T-34 tank with a red flag atop rolls during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024
Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II
Eighty years on from the end of World War II, the sacrifice made by millions upon millions of Soviet citizens remains part of Russia’s collective consciousness.
The immense suffering in cities like Stalingrad, Kursk and Putin’s native Leningrad – now St. Petersburg – still serve as a powerful symbol of the country’s ability to prevail against seemingly overwhelming challenges.
Since coming to power on the last day of 1999, Putin has made May 9 an important part of his political agenda, featuring displays of military might.
Columns of tanks and missiles roll across Red Square and squadrons of fighter jets roar overhead as medal-bedecked veterans join him to review the parade.
Many wear the black-and-orange St. George’s ribbon that is traditionally associated with Victory Day.
Putin often talks about his family history, sharing memories of his father, who fought on the front during the Nazi siege of the city and was badly wounded.
As Putin tells it, his father, also named Vladimir, came home from a military hospital during the war to see workers trying to take away his wife, Maria, who had been declared dead of starvation.
But the elder Putin did not believe she had died – saying she had only lost consciousness, weak with hunger.
Their first child, Viktor, died during the siege when he was 3, one of more than 1 million Leningrad residents who died in the 872-day blockade, most of them from starvation.
For several years, Putin carried a photo of his father in Victory Day marches – as did others honouring relatives who were war veterans – in what was called the ‘Immortal Regiment.’
Those demonstrations were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic and then again amid security concerns after the start of the fighting in Ukraine.