The annual Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square, typically a chest-thumping display of Russian military hardware, was a hollow shell of its former self this year.
In a stark admission of vulnerability, Russian authorities opted to exclude tanks and ballistic missiles from the procession, fearing that Ukrainian forces could launch a precision drone strike on the heart of the capital.
The event was further constrained by a last-minute ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump, which secured a temporary reprieve from potential attacks on the parade.
While the Kremlin attempts to project strength, the absence of heavy weaponry and the restricted access for foreign media serve as a clear indicator that Russia's campaign in Ukraine is not proceeding according to Moscow's original designs.
The event, which usually serves as a centerpiece for Russian national pride, instead highlighted the precarious position of the Russian military as the war drags on.
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