Putin scales back Red Square military parade amid Ukraine war struggles
politico.eu • • world
Key Points:
- The Kremlin's May 9 military parade will exclude tanks, artillery, and missile systems due to operational challenges faced by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
- Regular Ukrainian drone attacks have revealed vulnerabilities deep inside Russia, while Moscow struggles to replenish troop numbers amid heavy losses in the Donbas region.
- The parade will feature veterans of the war against Ukraine, some military students, marines, and a military aviation show, deviating from the traditional display of extensive military hardware.
- Ukraine reports significant Russian military losses since 2022, including over 1 million troops dead or wounded and thousands of tanks and artillery systems, though these figures have not been independently verified.
- Independent research group Oryx confirmed that Russia lost over 24,487 pieces of military equipment in Ukraine by April 1, based on visually confirmed data.
