Asger Risom
Ukraine’s president warns drones could target Moscow’s May 9 parade, as Russia prepares a scaled-down event under growing military and political pressure.
Russia’s Victory Day parade has long been a display of military power.
This year, it may instead highlight the pressures facing the Kremlin.
Rising tensions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said drones could target Moscow’s May 9 parade, as Russia prepares for one of its most symbolic events, according to Kyiv Post.
“Russia has announced a parade on May 9, but there will be no military equipment at this parade,” Zelensky said at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.
“This will be the first time in many, many years that they cannot afford the presence of weapons at the parade.”
He added: “And Ukrainian drones can also strike this parade. This shows that they are no longer as strong as before.”
A decisive summer
Zelensky warned that the coming months could determine the course of the war.
“This summer will be the moment when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin decides what to do next: expand this war or move toward diplomacy,” he said.
He emphasized that continued sanctions pressure is essential, saying restrictions targeting Russia’s “oil, industry, and banks” must remain in place and that lifting them is “unacceptable.”
Scaled-down parade
This year’s Victory Day event is expected to be significantly reduced, with reports indicating that tanks, missile systems and artillery will not be displayed, Kyiv Post reported.
Russia’s defence ministry attributed the changes to the “current operational situation,” though analysts link the shift to battlefield losses and security concerns tied to Ukrainian long-range strikes.
Zelensky also questioned Moscow’s proposal for a temporary truce around May 9, asking whether it is intended to secure “a few hours of security for the parade in Moscow or something more.”
Drone war expands
Ukraine has stepped up its use of long-range drones targeting Russian military and energy infrastructure.
Zelensky said Kyiv is expanding domestic defence production and called for deeper cooperation with European partners, particularly in drone technology.
“Ukraine can produce everything in order to further defend itself independently,” he said, while urging a coordinated approach to defence “in the air, on the ground and at sea.”
Leaders set to attend
Despite heightened tensions, several foreign leaders are expected to attend the parade.
According to The Insider, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are among those planning to be in Moscow, alongside leaders from several allied or partner states.
Victory Day remains central to the Kremlin’s messaging, tying the war in Ukraine to World War II narratives — even as the scale of this year’s event appears diminished.
Sources: Kyiv Post, The Insider
