Putin Hosts 81st Victory Day Parade: 45 Minutes, No Military Vehicles for First Time in 19 Years

On May 9, the Red Square parade lasted only 45 minutes, the shortest in modern Russian history, with tanks and missiles absent for the first time in 19 years. Over 1,000 military personnel who fought in Ukraine participated, and North Korean soldiers appeared in their own formation for the first time ever. The Trump-brokered three-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire (5/9–11) took effect on the same day as Victory Day.