Kathrine Frich
Big national celebrations usually serve as a chance to show off strength.
When a giant global power suddenly has nothing left to put on display, people naturally start asking questions.
A closer look reveals a stunning crack in the armor.
A quiet admission
Russian leaders recently held a muted press conference following their Victory Day parade. The famous event on Red Square featured almost zero military hardware. It looked entirely empty.
Political analyst and former television director Mikhail Sheitelman noticed a massive shift in how Moscow explained those missing tanks. He shared his unique observations on his YouTube channel.
According to the Latvian news outlet LA.LV, the analyst believes President Vladimir Putin accidentally exposed a massive weakness. The Russian leader tried to excuse the barren parade ground by claiming the vehicles were simply busy.
Nothing left behind
During the press conference, Putin stated exactly why the crowds saw no heavy armor. His excuse revealed far more than he likely intended.
“You are saying that there was no military equipment in the parade. It was not there because all of it is now needed in the special military operation to successfully complete it,” Putin said, according to Sheitelman’s quote in LA.LV.
Sheitelman argues this statement acts as a complete admission of military impotence. He noted that the Kremlin is finally confessing that military warehouses back home sit totally empty.
“Such a confession is being made for the first time. All the equipment has gone to the war, and he has nothing else,” Sheitelman explained.
Ending the bluff
This harsh new reality completely contradicts years of confident state propaganda. Since the invasion began, officials in Moscow frequently boasted that they were holding their true power in reserve.
Sheitelman reminded his viewers that Putin previously claimed the military had not even really started fighting yet. Now, the diplomatic mask has finally slipped.
“And this is what the Russian president says, who previously claimed that he hadn’t started yet,” the analyst pointed out.
Whatever hardware currently sits in the mud along the front lines is exactly all that Russia has left. The great bluff is finally over.
Sources: LA.LV, Mikhail Sheitelman
