The Russian government is preparing for the May 9, 2026, Victory Day celebrations under conditions described by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine as a “military lockdown.”
For the first time in nearly two decades, the Ministry of Defense has announced that the parade on Red Square will proceed without a column of military equipment, citing a “terrorist threat.”
Similar reductions in scale have been confirmed in other cities, including Tomsk and Krasnodar, while in St. Petersburg, organizers have invited participants from the ongoing war in Ukraine to replace traditional World War II veterans.
Security measures for the event include unprecedented communication restrictions. Intelligence reports indicate that authorities plan to disable internet access, mobile networks, and even pre-approved “white list” SMS services within Moscow’s MKAD beltway.
Similar blackouts are expected in Volgograd. Attendance will also be strictly limited; in St. Petersburg, for instance, the spectator area has been reduced to a single stand for approximately 300 guests.
Foreign attendance has seen a significant decline compared to previous years. Only four leaders have confirmed their participation so far: Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
This stands in sharp contrast to 2025, when 27 heads of state attended. Fico’s planned trip to Moscow has already faced logistical hurdles, as he recently announced that Lithuania and Latvia have refused to grant his aircraft passage through their airspace.
Ukrainian intelligence notes that the degradation of Russia’s military parades has been a gradual process over several years.
While the 2015 anniversary featured the debut of “Armata” tanks and a crowded gallery of international leaders, recent years have seen a steady “optimization” of the event.
Officials conclude that the 2026 format represents a logical finale to this trend, resulting in a parade defined by the absence of hardware, restricted connectivity, and the exclusion of veterans.