According to Forbes, the May 9 Victory Day military parade in Russia has been scaled down.
The parade through Red Square marks the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945, and is usually a celebration of Russian military power.
According to Forbes, this year's slimmed-down affair, due to take place on Monday, will highlight the country's military weakness in Ukraine.
According to information published by Russia's Defense Ministry, there will be only 129 military vehicles and 10,000 personnel in 2021, compared to about 191 military vehicles and 12,000 military personnel in that year.
Forbes reported that the usual contingent of forces from Russia will not be present. The media outlet said that the number of Russian infantry fighting vehicles in the parade has been cut by 50%.
According to The Moscow Times, there will be fewer tanks on display.
Forbes reported that Russia is presenting 15 helicopters for duty parade, down from 23 in 2021, after the loss of aircraft in Ukraine.
An expert told The Moscow Times that the scaling down is linked to Russia's military failures.
The reduction of the parade shows that the Russian government is aware of the losses in Ukraine and is trying to deal with them, according to an expert in Russian foreign policy at University College London.
Russian losses have taken place during the effort to capture the Donbas region. Estimates have the Russian death toll at over 20,000 since the start of the invasion.
Western officials have suggested that the Kremlin might use the Victory Day parade to announce a war on Ukraine. Russia denies this.
The director of the CIA said that any announcement came at a time when Putin was trying to double down on the Russian offensive.
The Moscow Times said that the Russian leader is expected to use the Z's wartime symbol at the parade and make speeches about the defeat of Nazism.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
