Russia’s Victory Day parade only served to highlight the major “challenges” Vladimir Putin is facing in Ukraine, according to UK intelligence.
This year’s event, which was held in central Moscow, was severely scaled back as the war continues.
Only one “vintage” T-34 tank was included in the parade, which is held every year to mark the Soviet Union’s defeat of the Nazis in the Second World War, and demonstrate Russia’s military strength.
And of the 8,000 personnel who took part, the majority were “auxiliary, paramilitary forces, and cadets from military training establishments”, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).
In their latest intelligence update on the war, the MoD said: “The make-up of Russia’s annual Victory Day Parade in Red Square highlighted the material and strategic communications challenges the military is facing 15 months into the war in Ukraine.”
They said that “despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia could have fielded more armoured vehicles” in the parade.
The MoD added: “The authorities likely refrained from doing so because they want to avoid domestic criticism about prioritising parades over combat operations.”
This year’s Victory Day parade also took place following a spate of mysterious attacks on Russia, which have added to the pressure on Putin.
The Russian president used his speech to launch yet another attack on the West, claiming that “their goal is nothing else but to see the fall of our country”.