Translated with AI
Following Moscow's lead, St. Petersburg will hold a scaled-down Victory Day parade on May 9, without the traditional military parade, according to Fontanka.
It's reported that even the restored T-34 tank, which opened the parade in recent years, will be missing from Palace Square. Cadets from military academies will participate in the event, but Nakhimov, Suvorov, and other cadets will not be participating.
The spectator format will also change. Three stands will be replaced by one, and the observation deck will not be equipped. Initially, approximately 5,600 people were expected to observe the parade, but this number has been reduced to 300. Veterans of the SVO (SVO) have been invited to the stands.
The decision to hold the parade in this format was made at a security meeting attended by the Governor of St. Petersburg and the acting commander of the Leningrad Military District.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense also announced that there would be no military vehicle column at the May 9 Victory Day parade on Red Square in Moscow. The last time this format was used was in 2007.
The Kremlin stated that the cancellation of some parade elements was due to a "terrorist threat" from Kyiv. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that measures are being taken to minimize the risks, emphasizing that last year's parade was an anniversary celebration and was held in a larger format, whereas the current anniversary is not a milestone.
Historically, parades without heavy equipment were held in Russia from 1995 to 2007. Since 2008, missile systems, armored vehicles, and tanks have again been on display in Red Square. The largest parade was the 2015 anniversary parade, which included 194 pieces of equipment and 140 aircraft and helicopters. The smallest numbers were recorded in 2024—61 pieces of equipment and 15 aircraft.
It remains unknown which foreign leaders will attend the 2026 parade. The Kremlin announced that information on this will be released later. Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov stated that several foreign politicians are expected to attend the event, but did not specify their names.
In 2026, Russia will celebrate the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
