- Russia's traditional Victory Day parade on May 9 will not feature military equipment for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- The Russian Defense Ministry cited the "current operational situation" as the reason for excluding military vehicles and cadets from the parade.
- The event, marking the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, will still include servicemen from military educational institutions and a traditional aircraft flyover.
- President Vladimir Putin has historically used Victory Day to foster national pride and justify the war in Ukraine.
- This year's parade represents a further reduction in scale, following a scaled-down event in 2023 that featured fewer troops and no flyover.
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