Who is coming to Putin’s Victory Day parade - and who is not?
Euronews.com • • world
Key Points:
- Moscow’s 2026 Victory Day parade will be a scaled-down event without military vehicles, cadets, or most foreign guests, citing the "current operational situation" and security concerns related to the war in Ukraine.
- Only a few international leaders are expected to attend, including the presidents of Laos and Malaysia, while some expected guests like Slovak Premier Robert Fico have confirmed they will not participate.
- Russia’s occupation authorities from regions like Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as Belarusian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Bosnian Serb nationalist Milorad Dodik, are among the few present, highlighting Moscow's limited diplomatic support.
- Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will skip the parade amid tensions over Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy’s recent visit to Armenia, which Moscow condemned harshly, signaling deteriorated relations with former allies.
- The Kremlin has barred foreign media from covering the parade, enforcing internet restrictions and delaying broadcasts due to security threats, while Ukraine has warned of possible retaliatory actions against Russia during the event.
